WINDHOEK, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Namibia on Friday launched a Wood Identification and Screening Center aimed at strengthening the country's capacity to combat illegal timber trade and environmental crime.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Namibia's Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, Lucia Iipumbu, said the facility marks an important step toward enhancing the country's ability to protect natural resources and enforce environmental laws.
The center, located at the Namibian Police Forensic Science Institute in the capital city of Windhoek, will use advanced technology to identify wood species, verify timber declarations, and support criminal investigations related to illegal logging.
According to the minister, the facility has the first-ever Direct Analysis in Real Time-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer instrument in Africa, a cutting-edge forensic tool for identifying wood species.
Lipumbu said that the illegal timber trade undermines lawful commerce, endangers biodiversity, and weakens state authority. The center will therefore provide scientific evidence for prosecution and assist the Namibian police, forestry authorities, and the Namibia Revenue Agency in detecting suspicious timber consignments.
She said the introduction of scientific tools in law enforcement strengthens evidence-based investigations, improves the country's capacity to intercept illegal forest products, and establishes the facility as a long-term national asset in advancing enforcement outcomes and the rule of law.
Illegal timber trade has been a persistent challenge in Namibia, particularly in the country's northeastern regions such as Kavango East, Kavango West, and Zambezi, where valuable hardwood species like rosewood are found. ■
