Upon conclusion of the VPA negotiations, the Government of Ghana gained recognition from both the private sector and civil society as having worked to ensure effective consultation with all stakeholders to develop an agreement for which there was strong stakeholder support. It was therefore important that the same spirit of consultation should remain in implementation.

In 2010, a multi-stakeholder implementation committee (M-SIC) was constituted to oversee the overall implementation of the VPA and coordinate the delivery of outputs to ensure that the objectives are achieved in line with the content and time schedule set out in the agreement. Additional responsibilities assigned to the M-SIC are as follows:

1.  Ensure that the implementation of the VPA continues to be linked to the national aspirations of forest and wildlife management as well as Ghana’s obligations under other international conventions.
2.  Maintain open communication channels with all stakeholder constituencies on the implementation of the VPA.
3.  Prepare for the work of the JMRM.

Membership/Composition of M-SIC

The VPA M-SIC is originally composed of representatives from the following key stakeholder groups:

1. The Forestry Commission
2. The Ministry of Lands and Natural Respources
3. Civil Society Organizations
4. Ghana Revenue Authority (Customs Division)
5. Ministry of Finance
6. Ministry of Trade
7. Attorney Generals Department
8. The Timber Industry

The M-SIC is chaired by the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources with secretarial support from the Timber Validation Department of the Forestry Commission. The Committee has been holding meetings to discuss issues affecting the effective implementation of the VPA in Ghana. So far, the M-SIC has held about 20 ordinary meetings to move the VPA implementation forward with decisions formed around consensus without a single occasion requiring voting to settle on a matter. Additionally, the M-SIC has been holdings series of meetings specially designed to prepare Ghana for JMRM meetings where members deliberate on matters to form country positions for a united front engagement with the EU side.