Forests and trees constitute a very important component of natural resources for countries in West and Central (W/C) Africa. The region also has one of the highest rates of deforestation and forest degradation in the world, largely due to illegal logging, slash and burn agriculture, wildfire and unsustainable mining practices. In W/C Africa, pest and disease problems are frequently underreported or unreported, and sometimes go unnoticed. In order to gain a better understanding of the occurrence and trends of forest and tree pests and diseases in the two regional blocks, the African Forest Forum (AFF) commissioned this study to evaluate the status and trends of forest and tree pests and diseases in the two sub regions and further, to develop mechanisms and actions for their management, including the drafting of a protocol for pests surveillance in the sub region.