Inter-African Coffee Organisation to include high consuming countries

The Inter-African Coffee Organisation (IACO) is working on the expansion of its member-states to include not only producing countries but also countries with high consumption capacity.

The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, who was elected as Chairman of the organisation at its 59th General Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya last year explained that the main focus currently was to get members states to submit comments on the draft document for adoption and promulgation of the new IACO Agreement and was happy that some of the countries had already submitted their comments for consideration and inclusion.

Purpose of meeting

The minister stated this at his maiden board meeting with members held in Kumasi last week via zoom.

The meeting, which supposed to have taken place in London and attended by 25 member states was to enable the members to look at steps towards the promulgation of the agreement and also look at the financial standing of member countries to help upgrade the organisation capacity to undertake its own commitment and major financial and investment decisions.

It was also to accelerate the commitment to the actualisation of the African coffee facility with the express support from the Afriexim Bank to revitalise the African coffee agenda.

Dr Akoto, therefore, appealed to those countries that were yet to submit their comments to do so before the general council meeting this in November this year.

Role of coffee

He reminded all member states that coffee was becoming a tool for globalisation and political integration, adding that it was, therefore “imperative that we accelerate our collective efforts to get this new agreement adopted.”

Dr Akoto further reminded them that the 60th anniversary and general assembly meeting would be held in Accra in July this year and was looking forward to host members.

He was excited that the planning committee for the meeting was working tirelessly to a successful organisation of the event.

Dr Akoto hinted that the member states were finalising arrangements for the construction of the IACO headquarters to begin in Ivory Coast and was hopeful “with every shoulder to the wheel, we shall sail through together,” in spite of the probable challenges.

The IACO

Speaking in an interview after the meeting, Dr Akoto explained that the overall objective of IACO, which was established in 1960, was to facilitate interactions among member-countries to enable the exchange of research technologies and market information aimed at tackling challenges facing the continent.

He was of the opinion that getting those countries to be members of the organisation would further strengthen IACO and gave it enough capacity to be able to address numerous challenges: such as low coffee production, climate change and its effect on production and quality, increased value addition, agricultural credit, research and private sector participation in the industry.

“We have to rejuvenate the interest of member-states in the production and consumption of coffee, which for me has even bigger potentials compared to its peers,” he noted.

Fact sheet

Dr Akoto who took over the seat with vast experience having served as Vice Chairman of the organisation until his election last year, succeeded Mr Mwangi-Kiunjuri, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary-Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation.

By his election as Chairman of the organisation, Dr Akoto automatically becomes an Executive Member of the International Coffee Council – a subsidiary of the ICO – and will also be the Spokesperson for Africa on all issues relating to coffee.