President John Dramani Mahama is expected to travel to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to participate in the Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana High-Level Summit on the Future of the Cocoa Economy.
The summit will bring together President Mahama and Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara for bilateral discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between the world’s two largest cocoa-producing nations and developing strategies to secure the long-term sustainability of the cocoa sector.
The meeting comes on the back of a series of preparatory engagements held under the Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI), a joint platform established to coordinate policies and promote the interests of cocoa farmers in both countries.
At the summit, the two leaders are expected to discuss measures aimed at protecting cocoa prices, improving farmer incomes, enhancing value addition, and addressing challenges confronting the industry, including climate change, market volatility, and sustainability concerns.
Speaking ahead of the summit, Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana Cocoa Initiative, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, expressed optimism about the outcomes of the discussions.
According to him, the preparatory meetings yielded positive results and paved the way for stronger collaboration between the two cocoa-producing countries.
“The cocoa industry will be better protected, and the cocoa farmer will be the ultimate beneficiary,” Dr Forson stated.
He further noted that both Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire had reached common positions designed to safeguard the livelihoods of cocoa farmers and strengthen the sector.
“The meeting was very fruitful, and we have arrived at common positions that will protect the cocoa farmer,” he added.
The summit is expected to produce key decisions aimed at ensuring a sustainable and profitable future for the cocoa industry while enhancing the welfare of millions of farmers who depend on cocoa production across the two countries.
