The Tactics Institute calls for immediate and decisive action to address the escalating illegal trade of rosewood between Mozambique and China. The rampant exploitation of this internationally protected timber not only threatens Mozambique’s forests but also destabilizes the region. It empowers insurgent groups and violates international environmental agreements. 

Mozambique has emerged as China’s primary supplier of rosewood. It shipped 20,000 metric tons of this precious timber in 2023 alone. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) reports that up to 30% of Mozambique’s rosewood is harvested in forests controlled by insurgents in Cabo Delgado province. They profit from illicit logging operations.

This deforestation not only contributes to environmental degradation but also funds extremist groups. It further destabilises the already volatile region. The insurgents’ control over significant forest areas, coupled with illegal logging, exacerbates security concerns. It undermines the rule of law and threatens both local livelihoods and global environmental sustainability.

The Tactics Institute underscores that the ongoing rosewood trade between Mozambique and China is a blatant violation of the United Nations Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), which aims to protect endangered species like rosewood from over-exploitation. 

The continued plundering of Mozambique’s forests, particularly in insurgent-controlled areas, is not only a national issue but a violation of international environmental law. The trade-in rosewood, driven by Chinese demand for luxurious furniture, is contributing to the destruction of critical ecosystems and the destabilization of a region already beset by conflict and poverty.

The Tactics Institute for Security and Counterterrorism urges the Mozambican government, the international community, and global trade partners to take immediate and effective action to halt the illegal rosewood trade. Failure to do so will further endanger regional security, exacerbate environmental degradation, and perpetuate the cycle of violence and instability in Cabo Delgado and beyond.