Les Faits stylisés de la gouvernance forestière en Afrique Subsaharienne Francophone : déni de libertés et enjeux de soutenabilité

Abstract

This article examines forest governance in Sub-Saharan Francophone African countries (ASSF), from the concept of denial of freedoms. There are three important periods revolve historically from the colonial era to highlight three categories of stylized facts of forest governance in ASSF. It is found firstly that these stylized facts transcend the tilting of the vertical to horizontal governance advocated since the Brundtland report. On the other hand, their analysis shows backdrop, a structural framework of denial of freedom and deprivation of capabilities inherited from the colonial era. Deforestation and forest degradation are therefore a recurring and widespread phenomenon, while tensions related to, on the one hand, inertia due to issues of property regimes, and secondly, the exogeneity of postcolonial forest governance, arise the acute problem of the coherence of public policies, including agriculture and forestry. It appears that the sustainability of forest governance in ASSF requires the disembeddedness from colonial repository, in order to resolutely engage in an endogenous pulse path, through fair strengthening capabilities of local communities and other stakeholders.