The governments of Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire have signed a major agreement called the “Abidjan Declaration” which is to address issues within the cocoa sector in both countries.
Presidents of both West African countries signed the deal on Monday after holding consultative meetings and announced that the implementation of the Strategic Partnership Agreement should boost their economies.
Ghana and Ivory Coast contribute 60% of the world’s cocoa output but fluctuations of cocoa prices on the international market, has impacted negatively on revenues accruing to them.
Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo and Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire affirmed their commitment to define a better, common strategy and a sustainable solution for the improvement of prices for cocoa producers, in their respective countries, according to a communique issued at the end of their consultations.
The communique further said that the two countries have also agreed to intensify collaboration, in the field of scientific research for the production of cocoa plants, the improvement of plant varieties, and also to adopt and implement a regional programme to fight against the swollen shoot disease.
Both countries would also under the new agreement be processing a major part of their cocoa, hoping to have the private sector invest massively in cocoa processing in Africa.
Source: Africafeeds.com
