ABIDJAN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Cote d'Ivoire has lost between 80 and 90 percent of its forest cover, which has dropped from approximately 16 million hectares to nearly 3 million hectares, said a senior Ivorian official on Saturday.

The Ivorian Minister of Water and Forests Jacques Assahore Konan expressed regret over the gradual degradation of the national forest cover since the country's independence.

Despite the resources mobilized, the results achieved remain insufficient, he said during a meeting with stakeholders in the forestry sector in the western city of Man.

"Faced with the pressure on forests, the degradation of water resources and the decline in biodiversity, we must act and redouble our efforts," he said.

He called on stakeholders in the forestry sector to make a firm commitment to fighting deforestation. "The sustainable protection of forests and biodiversity in our country is a necessity," he added.

For several years, Cote d'Ivoire has been facing a drastic reduction in its forest cover, mainly due to uncontrolled and abusive exploitation. ■