Mozambique is seeking to renegotiate its bilateral forestry pact with China in a bid to clamp down on timber smuggling, tightening controls over an export trade dominated almost exclusively by Asian buyers.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Global Legal & Sustainable Timber Forum 2026 (GLSTF) in Macao, Mozambique’s National Director of Forests and Wildlife, Imede Chafim Falume, confirmed that authorities in Maputo are actively reviewing the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Beijing in 2018. The original accord was established to facilitate information sharing regarding timber shipments bound for China, which accounts for roughly 90% of Mozambique’s commercial timber exports.
“We are already reviewing the memorandum with a view to signing it,” Falume told news agency Lusa. “It is a memorandum that adjusts to what is currently happening, what we have been observing, and we believe that, if the Chinese side agrees with the principles we are presenting, we will sign it.”
The regulatory overhaul comes amid long-standing concerns regarding illegal logging and supply chain leakages. Mozambique introduced export restrictions on raw logs in 2002 and tightened measures in 2017 to protect native hardwood species. In 2023, the government extended a blanket ban to cover all species, requiring all exported wood to undergo local primary processing.
Despite these legislative hurdles, substantial volumes of illicit timber have leaked through border checkpoints. Data compiled by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) indicates that approximately 3.7 million tonnes of timber were illegally shipped from Mozambique to China between 2017 and 2023, representing a commercial market value of US$1.3 billion (€1.12 billion).
In response, Mozambican officials have initiated aggressive enforcement campaigns over the past year, closing unauthorized transit points, establishing rigid inspection regimes, and deploying a digital tracking system to monitor supply chains.
“The major problem in Mozambique was effectively smuggling for export purposes,” Falume stated. “We believe that the work we have carried out quickly is producing results. The cartels, I think, are somewhat worried, but we will continue doing our work. Smuggling levels have fallen considerably compared with previous years.”
These anti-smuggling efforts yielded high-profile seizures. Last year, forestry authorities at the port of Beira in Sofala province impounded a cargo vessel carrying 111 containers of timber bound for China on suspicion of illicit trade. According to Falume, the seized cargo remains under judicial review. Officials also confiscated approximately 1,200 cubic metres of raw logs over the same period a figure Falume described as “fairly small” relative to historic illegal volumes.
Looking beyond enforcement, Maputo is pitching international buyers on investing in onshore processing facilities rather than relying on raw material extraction.
“We want them to come to our country to set up processing units and then export the products from there,” Falume emphasized during the Macao forum. “We believe we will convince them, because our timber is of very high quality.”
Beyond regulatory enforcement, Mozambique faces structural challenges in managing its natural capital. Deforestation continues at an alarming pace, exceeding 267,000 hectares annually. With nearly 60% of the population living within forest ecosystems and relying on natural resources for subsistence, environmental degradation remains driven by shifting agricultural practices, uncontrolled forest fires, charcoal production, and rapid urban development.
