The Pulitzer Center Rainforest Investigations Network, in collaboration with The Africa Report, has launched an exclusive four-part investigation into timber trafficking in East Africa, spot-lighting Uganda’s role in this regional crisis.

This comprehensive probe unveils the exploitation of conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) north-east, facilitating the illegal trade of its protected hardwoods. Key East African Community economies, including Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania are found to benefit from this illicit trade, contradicting their environmental commitments.

At the heart of this shadowy network are influential figures linked to security services and politicians across East Africa, including Uganda. They play a pivotal role in ensuring the failure of border controls, allowing this illegal trade to flourish, according to the investigation. Corruption is rampant, with loggers and truckers greasing the wheels at border checkpoints and acquiring falsified certificates of origin for substantial fees.

This timber smuggling operation poses a significant threat to the Congo basin’s ecology and its role in the global fight against uncontrolled climate change. In interviews conducted for this story, Uganda government officials unanimously denied any involvement in the smuggling of timber from Congo.