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The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) is a global organization, composed of both cocoa producing and cocoa consuming countries with a membership. Located in London, ICCO was established in 1973 to put into effect the first International Cocoa Agreement which was negotiated in Geneva at a United Nations International Cocoa Conference. [1] There have since been seven Agreements. The Seventh International Cocoa Agreement was negotiated in Geneva in 2010 and came into force provisionally on 1 October 2012. [2]
The ICCO serves as a platform for stakeholders in the global cocoa industry to discuss topics relevant to international cocoa trade. It is a leading source of cocoa statistics globally, with data spanning nearly 70 years. Additionally, the ICCO offers expertise in cocoa market analysis and forecasting, project development and implementation, as well as capacity-building programs for its member countries.[3]
ICCO Member countries represent roughly 86% of world cocoa production and more than 72% of world cocoa consumption. All Members are represented in the International Cocoa Council, the highest governing body of the ICCO.[4]
The Consultative Board consists of fourteen international experts in the cocoa sector, all from the private sector (seven from cocoa producing Member countries and seven from cocoa consuming Member countries). However, the Board, whose mandate is as extensive as that of the International Cocoa Council and comprises all aspects of the world cocoa economy, only functions in an advisory capacity, as all final decisions are taken by the International Cocoa Council. The Consultative Board was established in recognition of the importance of the private sector in the world cocoa economy and of the increasingly important role that trade and industry have been playing in ICCO.
The ICCO also sets forth definitions within the cocoa industry to establish a common ground. Some notable terms include: Sustainable Cocoa Economy, Ethical Cocoa, Fine Flavour Cacao, and Cocoa year.[5]
| Country | Status | Signature | Ratification/Approval/Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | Exporting Country | 7 June 2012 | – |
| Cameroon | Exporting Country | 26 March 2012 | Provisional: 24 January 2013 |
| Colombia [7] | Exporting Country | 7 December 2021 | – |
| Congo (Democratic Republic) | Exporting Country | 4 November 2011 | Provisional: 4 November 2011 |
| Côte d'Ivoire | Exporting Country | 20 September 2011 | Approval: 16 May 2012 |
| Dominican Republic | Exporting Country | 9 March 2012 | Provisional: 9 March 2012 |
| Ecuador | Exporting Country | 25 September 2013 | – |
| Gabon | Exporting Country | 18 January 2012 | Approval: 11 June 2013 |
| Ghana | Exporting Country | 19 August 2011 | Ratification: 18 December 2012 |
| Guinea | Exporting Country | 19 June 2012 | – |
| Indonesia | Exporting Country | 12 September 2011 | Ratification: 13 November 2012 |
| Liberia | Exporting Country | 13 November 2012 | Acceptance: 17 January 2014 |
| Madagascar | Exporting Country | 29 December 2015 | Provisional: 29 December 2015 |
| Malaysia | Exporting Country | 5 August 2013 | Ratification: 30 August 2013 |
| Nicaragua | Exporting Country | 15 July 2013 | – |
| Nigeria | Exporting Country | 10 October 2018 | – |
| Papua New Guinea | Exporting Country | 21 April 2016 | – |
| Peru | Exporting Country | 4 March 2014 | Ratification: 12 May 2016 |
| Sierra Leone | Exporting Country | 1 October 2012 | – |
| Togo | Exporting Country | 19 September 2011 | Ratification: 22 June 2012 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Exporting Country | 24 September 2012 | – |
| Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) | Exporting Country | 27 June 2016 | – |
| Austria | Importing Country | – | – |
| Belgium | Importing Country | – | – |
| Bulgaria | Importing Country | – | – |
| Croatia | Importing Country | – | – |
| Cyprus | Importing Country | – | – |
| Czech Republic | Importing Country | – | – |
| Denmark | Importing Country | – | – |
| Estonia | Importing Country | – | – |
| Finland | Importing Country | – | – |
| France | Importing Country | – | – |
| Germany | Importing Country | – | – |
| Greece | Importing Country | – | – |
| Hungary | Importing Country | – | – |
| Ireland | Importing Country | – | – |
| Italy | Importing Country | – | – |
| Latvia | Importing Country | – | – |
| Lithuania | Importing Country | – | – |
| Luxembourg | Importing Country | – | – |
| Malta | Importing Country | – | – |
| Netherlands | Importing Country | – | – |
| Poland | Importing Country | – | – |
| Portugal | Importing Country | – | – |
| Romania | Importing Country | – | – |
| Slovakia | Importing Country | – | – |
| Slovenia | Importing Country | – | – |
| Spain | Importing Country | – | – |
| Sweden | Importing Country | – | – |
| Russian Federation | Importing Country | 1 October 2014 | Ratification: 29 January 2016 |
| Switzerland | Importing Country | 22 December 2010 | Ratification: 12 May 2011 |
Publication
The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO[8]) is a global organization currently located in Abidjan, Cote d'lvoire.[9] ICCO was established in 1973 to put into effect the first International Cocoa Agreement which was negotiated in Geneva Switzerland at a United Nations International Cocoa Conference. [10] Formerly, ICCO was headquartered in England London[11] but on September 25, 2015, the International Cocoa Council (ICC) [12] unanimously approved the relocation of ICCO to Abidjan in order to be closer to major Cocoa producing regions. There have since been seven Agreements. The Seventh International Cocoa Agreement was negotiated in Geneva in 2010 and came into force provisionally on 1 October 2012. [13] ICCO Membership[14] is composed of both Cocoa producing and Cocoa Consuming Countries.
Article body
editHistorical Background of ICCO
The reason why originally ICCO was headquartered in London England lies in the fact that in the 19th century the Quaker[15] businessmen entered the Cocoa business and used their skills to improve the living conditions for factory workers as well as making both chocolate and Cocoa inexpensive and available to the locals. Since 1973 ICCO headquarter had remained in London until its recent relocation to Cote d'lvoire Abidjan together with its Secretariat.
ICCO Structure
The ICCO Secretariat: The Secretariat is the executive body of ICCO responsible for implantation of the Organization's five year strategic plan based in the organization's headquarters in Abidjan Cote d'lvoire. The Secretariat is responsible to the International cocoa council while the Admiration and Finance Committee, economic committee as well as the Private Sector (consultative) Board are all under the Secretariat. ICCO Structure
In 2001, ICCO created the Consultative Board on the World Cocoa Economy aka The Board which consists of representatives of cocoa stakeholders from private sector and civil society in exporting and importing countries, including national public-private platforms. The Board is an advisory body to the International Cocoa Council, whose mandate is to provide advice to the Council on key challenges affecting the world cocoa economy. [16]
Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics QBCS provides reliable and up-to-date data analysis of Cocoa economy since 1960 on both Cocoa producing and Cocoa consuming countries. The ICCO serves as a platform for stakeholders in the global cocoa industry to discuss topics relevant to international cocoa trade. According to QBCS 2016-2017 Cocoa seasonal forecast the African continent is by far currently the predominant producer of Cocoa with 74% production followed by the America's 17% and Asia Pacific with 9%. Cote d'lvoire is the world's leading cocoa producing country followed by Ghana which produces the most quality Cocoa seeds. The main factor that have led to tremendous increment in Cocoa production in Ghana are the support measures of the government-owned cocoa marketing board COCOBOD.[17]
ICCO Challenges
Human slavery and child labor are some of the current challenges that ICCO is battling to solve in west Africa specifically Ivory Coast and Ghana. Young boys and girls as young as 12 to 16 years old are lured from their homes then sold to cacao plantation owners in Ivory Coast where they worked as field hands, domestic workers and even prostitutes. In 2001, 40% of Chocolate consumed in the developed world was produced by child slavery and up to 1 million children in both Ghana and Ivory Coast as young as 10 years old are estimated to have been working on harvesting farms of cacao beans who had never attended school. ICCO in partnership with the west African governments and other NGOS are working closely to end this child labor and slavery [18]
References
edit- ^ "Who We Are". International Cocoa Organization. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ "Agreements". International Cocoa Organization. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ "FAQ". International Cocoa Organization. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ "Who We Are". International Cocoa Organization. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ "Amended ICA 2010 (English)" (PDF). International Cocoa Organization. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ "Membership". International Cocoa Organization. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ "The International Cocoa Organization welcomes Colombia as its 52nd Member". International Cocoa Organization. 8 December 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ "Home". International Cocoa Organization. 1 November 2024. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
- ^ "International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) | LinkedIn". ci.linkedin.com. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "Who We Are". International Cocoa Organization. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ "London", Wikipedia, 2 November 2024, retrieved 5 November 2024
- ^ Follana, Carlos (29 September 2015). "ICCO HQ to move to Abidjan following Council decision". International Cocoa Organization. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "Agreements". International Cocoa Organization. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ "Who we are". International Cocoa Organization. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
- ^ Levetin, Estelle (2015). Plants and Society [English] (7nd ed.). The University of Tulsa: McGraw Hill Education (published 2023). p. 273. ISBN 9780078023033.
- ^ "Economy". International Cocoa Organization. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
- ^ "Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics". International Cocoa Organization. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ Bedigian, Dorothea (June 1997). "Plants and Society.Estelle Levetin , Karen McMahon". The Quarterly Review of Biology. 72 (2): 207–207. doi:10.1086/419798. ISSN 0033-5770.