VACANCY NOTICE – ECONOMIST

Abidjan, 11 March 2022. Vacancy notice – Economist

Title: Economist

Category/ Grade: Internationally recruited staff, P1/P2 on the UN salary scale

Duty station: Abidjan

Type of contract: Fixed Term (5 years with 6-month probationary period)

Deadline for application: 12/04/2022 (Midnight Abidjan Time)

Indicative starting date: 01/09/2022 (date when the selected candidate is expected to be available to take up her/his position in Abidjan)

Recruitment open to: nationals of ICCO Member countries (please see full list on https://www.icco.org/who-we-are/membership/)

Applications (only CV & Covering letter) to be sent to: recruitment@icco.org copy to ExecDir.Office@icco.org

 

VACANCY NOTICE FULL DESCRIPTION – ENGLISH

ANUNCIO DE VACANTE DESCRIPCIÓN COMPLETA – ESPAÑOL

February 2022 Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics

Abidjan, 28 February 2022 – The International Cocoa Organization today releases its first forecasts for the 2021/22 cocoa year and revised estimates of world production, grindings, and stocks of cocoa beans for 2020/21 cocoa year. The data published in Issue No. 1 – Volume XLVIII – Cocoa year 2021/22 of the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, reflect the most recent information available to the Secretariat as at the beginning of February 2022.

Compared to the 2020/21 season, cocoa supply is anticipated to drop by 5% to 4.955 million tonnes. The current season witnessed a slow start and despite the mild Harmattan, severe dryness is being experienced in the main producing countries of West Africa. Although it is anticipated that the weather will turn around for the better to support the mid-crop, global production for the season under review will still be lower compared to the historic level recorded for the preceding crop year.

Global cocoa demand is projected to increase and register a jump of almost 3% from 4.959 million tonnes during 2020/21 to 5.086 million tonnes for the season under review. Thanks to progress in vaccinations, economies have opened, and this boosted demand for most commodities including cocoa. Nevertheless, uncertainties remain over the long term. COVID-19 remains a concern as for the past years, outbreaks of COVID-19 variants led to restrictions on people’s movements and consequently demand. Indeed, supply chain bottlenecks, inflationary pressures, freight charges amongst others are key unknown factors that could derail the rebound of commodities including cocoa.

Summary of forecasts and revised estimates

 

 Cocoa year 

(Oct-Sept)

 2020/21 2021/22 Year-on-year change
Previous estimates a/ Revised estimates Forecasts
(thousand tonnes) (Per cent)
World gross production 5 175 5 226 4 955 – 271 – 5.2%
World grindings 4 911 4 959 5 086 + 127 + 2.6%
Surplus/deficit   b/ + 212 + 215 – 181
End-of-season stocks 1 924 1 928 1 747 – 181 – 9.4%
Stocks/Grindings ratio 39.2% 38.9% 34.3%

Notes:
a/ Estimates published in Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, Vol. XLVII – No. 4 – Cocoa year 2020/21
b/ Surplus/deficit: net world crop (gross crop adjusted for loss in weight) minus grindings.
Totals may differ due to rounding.

Statistical information on trade in cocoa beans, cocoa products and chocolate, by country and by region, published in this edition, covers annual data from 2018/19 to 2020/21 and quarterly statistics for the period January-March 2020 to July-September 2021. Details on destinations of exports and origins of imports for leading cocoa exporting countries are also provided.

Copies of the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, in Microsoft Excel and Adobe PDF formats, can be ordered from the new ICCO e-Shop: www.icco.org/shop or by email: statistics.section@icco.org

International Symposium on Cocoa Research ISCR 2022 in December 2022

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 16 February 2022. The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) in partnership with the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) is pleased to announce that the second edition of the International Symposium on Cocoa Research will be taking place on 05-07 December 2022 in Montpellier, France.

The International Symposium on Cocoa Research is on the cusp of becoming a well-established event in the sector. The first edition of the symposium previously attracted over 500 participants, from the scientific community as well as the entire cocoa value chain (producers / traders / processors / manufacturers / policymakers/etc.), making it a must-attend event for anyone concerned with the future of cocoa.

The Symposium is a unique opportunity for participants to interact with cocoa industry leaders and high-profile speakers, who will present their most recent studies and point the way forward for the cocoa sector. The main theme for this edition of the symposium is “Innovations to support market development and promote the sustainability of cocoa farming for better farmer income”. We anticipate this edition to be a success thanks to the broad range of selected topics to be discussed.

In order to streamline the submission of papers and presentations (different thematic areas, conditions and requirements to submit scientific papers) as well as registrations to attend the event, a website providing all necessary information related to the event can be consulted: www.iscrsymposium.org. Submission of papers is open until 15 March 2022.

Delegates wishing to attend the event, which will comply with the strictest health and safety measures in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, can take advantage of the reduced rates available until 30 April 2022. Additionally, there are several discounts applicable for students and organizations from ICCO Member and non-ICCO Member countries.

Press accreditations to attend the event can be requested by emailing events@icco.org or congrescacao2021@cirad.fr

Cocoa Market Report for January 2022

Abidjan, 11 February 2022 – The International Cocoa Organization today releases the Cocoa Market Report for January 2022. The current report highlights the following insights:

  • Grindings data published by the main regional cocoa associations for the first quarter of the 2021/22 cocoa year signalled that cocoa demand for the season started on a strong note.
  • Cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire since the start of the 2021/22 cocoa year is reported to have overtaken last season’s level at 1.340 million tonnes as at 30 January, slightly up by 1.5% compared with the 1.320 million tonnes recorded at the same period of the 2020/21 season. On the contrary in Ghana, the latest available data on purchases of graded and sealed cocoa beans were lower year-on-year.
  • During January 2022, prices of the front-month cocoa futures contract oscillated between US$2,238 and US$2,428 per tonne in London and averaged US$2,324 per tonne, slightly lower compared to the average price of US$2,343 per tonne for the nearby contract recorded at the same period of the 2020/21 cocoa year. In New York, the average price of the MAR-22 contract settled at US$2,547 per tonne, up from US$2,528 per tonne recorded in January 2021 and ranged between US$2,420 and US$2,663 per tonne.

You can download the complete report by clicking here.

 

World cocoa bean stocks for the 2020/21 season

Abidjan, 27 January 2022. The ICCO Expert Working Group on Stocks (EWGS) met today, Thursday 27 January 2022 to review the level of world cocoa bean stocks. The EWGS is composed of experts in the cocoa field who meet once a year, at the invitation of the ICCO, to review and analyse the results of the ICCO’s annual survey of cocoa bean stocks held in European warehouses as well as assess the level of global cocoa bean stocks. The survey is conducted every year (since 2000) and aims to improve transparency in the cocoa market.

 

LOCATION OF THE ESTIMATED AND IDENTIFIED COCOA BEAN STOCKS 30 SEPTEMBER 2019 30 SEPTEMBER 2020 30 SEPTEMBER 2021
Stocks in cocoa importing countries 1,011 987 1,106
Stocks in cocoa exporting countries 215 171 256 ***
Stocks in South-East Asia 199
Total identified stocks 1,226 ** 1,158 ** 1,561
Manufacturers’ stocks 77 75 95
Cocoa beans in transit 83 81 107
Total estimated world cocoa bean stocks 1,385 ** 1,315 ** 1,764
Total identified world stocks as a percentage of total estimated world stocks 89% 88% 88%
Total identified stocks as a percentage of statistically-derived stocks 70% 68% 81%
ICCO statistically-derived stocks* 1,731 1,712 1,924

Notes: Totals may differ from sum of constituents due to rounding

* Published in the ICCO Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, Volume XLVII, No. 4, Cocoa Year 2020/21

** Do not include stocks data from South-East Asia

*** Do not include data from Brazil

The EWGS now notes that, compared to the revised gap of 397,000 tonnes for the 2019/20 cocoa year, the current assessment indicates that the gap between the estimated cocoa bean stocks worldwide and the ICCO’s statistically-derived stocks data has declined to 160,000 tonnes for the 2020/21 cocoa year. This reduction is partly due to the inclusion of stocks from South-East Asia in the current assessment. However, the non-availability of stocks from some important producing countries contributed to the current divergence.

While the ICCO Secretariat maintains, so far, its supply surplus estimate of 212,000 tonnes for 2020/21 as published in its latest QBCS, it may revise that figure in its next Bulletin due at the end of February 2022, taking into account the outcome of this survey.

For more information, please contact Carlos Follana, Marketing and Communication Coordinator, International Cocoa Organization, ICCO Building, II Plateaux ENA – Avenue Boga Doudou, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Tel: +225 22 51 49 50/51 | Fax: +225 22 51 49 79 | E-mail: Carlos.Follana@icco.org

Cocoa Market Report for December 2021

Abidjan, 24 January 2022 – The International Cocoa Organization today releases the Cocoa Market Report for December 2021. The current report highlights the following insights:

  • Arrivals and purchases of cocoa beans from the two-top producing countries were reported to be down by 4% in Côte d’Ivoire, and a staggering 54% in Ghana.
  • Compared to their settlement values recorded during the first trading day of December, prices of the MAR-22 contract moved upwards on both sides of the Atlantic, increasing by 6% from US$2,181 to US$2,304 per tonne and by 8% from US$2,342 to US$2,530 per tonne in London and New York respec¬tively.
  • The annual average of the US-denominated ICCO daily price stood at US$2,427 per tonne, up by 3% compared to level reached the previous year.

You can download the complete report by clicking here.

 

L’ORGANISATION INTERNATIONALE DU CACAO SOUHAITE LA BIENVENUE À LA COLOMBIE, SON 52E MEMBRE

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 8 décembre 2021. L’Organisation internationale du cacao a l’honneur d’annoncer qu’à l’issue d’un processus entamé en 2019, la Colombie a rejoint l’ICCO en tant que pays Membre de plein droit.

Hier, le 7 décembre 2021, S.E. M. Iván Duque, président de la République de Colombie, a signé la loi qui entérine l’adhésion de la Colombie à l’ICCO, lors d’une cérémonie à laquelle ont participé les représentants du secteur cacaoyer colombien et une délégation de l’ICCO conduite par son Directeur exécutif, M. Michel Arrion.

L’adhésion de la Colombie portera le nombre de Membres de l’ICCO à 52 pays, dont 23 pays Membres exportateurs et 29 pays Membres importateurs. La Colombie sera le neuvième pays Membre de la région d’Amérique latine et des Caraïbes, rejoignant le Brésil, le Costa Rica, l’Équateur, le Nicaragua, le Pérou, la République dominicaine, Trinité-et-Tobago et le Venezuela.

Le Directeur exécutif de l’ICCO, M. Michel Arrion, a salué la nouvelle en ces termes : « Nous sommes heureux d’accueillir la Colombie en tant que 52e Membre de l’ICCO. L’adhésion de la Colombie est une preuve tangible de notre engagement commun à assurer la durabilité de l’économie cacaoyère mondiale grâce à une coopération plus étroite entre les pays exportateurs et importateurs ».

Au cours de son séjour en Colombie, la délégation de l’ICCO a également eu l’occasion d’établir des contacts avec les associations sectorielles colombiennes, telles que la Fedecacao, qui a joué un rôle clé dans la réussite de ce processus, ainsi qu’avec des représentants du secteur privé. Elle a visité par ailleurs l’une des principales régions cacaoyères du pays.

 

À propos de l’ICCO

L’Organisation internationale du cacao (ICCO) est une organisation intergouvernementale fondée en 1973 sous les auspices des Nations Unies et fonctionnant dans le cadre des successifs Accords internationaux sur le cacao. Le siège de l’ICCO se trouve à Abidjan, en Côte d’Ivoire.

L’Organisation compte 52 pays Membres, dont 23 pays exportateurs de cacao et 29 pays importateurs de cacao. Ces pays Membres représentent conjointement 92 % des exportations mondiales de cacao et 80 % des importations mondiales de cacao (https://www.icco.org/who-we-are/membership/)

L’ICCO a pour objectif de promouvoir et de soutenir la durabilité économique, sociale et environnementale de la chaîne de valeur du cacao et en particulier d’améliorer les conditions de vie des cacaoculteurs. L’Organisation constitue un centre de connaissance et d’innovation au sein de l’économie cacaoyère mondiale, une plateforme de coopération institutionnelle visant à encourager le dialogue entre ses pays Membres et entre les principales parties prenantes de la chaîne de valeur du cacao, ainsi qu’un pôle d’assistance technique pour ses pays Membres.

Pour plus d’informations, veuillez contacter :    info@icco.org

THE INTERNATIONAL COCOA ORGANIZATION WELCOMES COLOMBIA AS ITS 52ND MEMBER

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 08 December 2021. The International Cocoa Organization is honored to announce that, after a process that began in 2019, Colombia has joined the ICCO as a full Member country.

Yesterday on 7 December 2021, H.E. Mr Iván Duque, President of the Republic of Colombia, signed into law the bill for Colombia’s accession to the ICCO during an event attended by both representatives of the Colombian cocoa sector and a delegation from the ICCO, headed by its Executive Director, Mr Michel Arrion.

Colombia’s accession will expand the ICCO’s membership to 52 countries, with 23 exporting Member countries and 29 importing Member countries. Colombia will be the ninth Member country in the Latin America and Caribbean region, joining Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Peru, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.

Welcoming the news, the ICCO Executive Director Mr Michel Arrion said “We are pleased to welcome Colombia as the 52nd Member of the ICCO. Colombia’s membership is tangible proof of our shared commitment to achieve a more sustainable world cocoa economy through enhanced cooperation between exporting and importing countries”.

During its stay in Colombia, the ICCO delegation also had the opportunity to liaise with relevant Colombian associations, such as Fedecacao, which played a key role in the completion of this process, and with private sector representatives, and visited one of the main cocoa producing regions in the country.

 

About ICCO

The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) is an inter-governmental organization established in 1973 under the auspices of the United Nations and operating within the framework of successive International Cocoa Agreements. The ICCO is headquartered in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The Organization comprises 52 Member countries, of which 23 are cocoa exporting countries and 29 are cocoa importing countries. These Member countries together represent 92% of world cocoa exports and 80% of world cocoa imports (https://www.icco.org/who-we-are/membership/)

The ICCO seeks to promote and support the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of the cocoa value chain, and in particular to improve the living conditions of cocoa farmers. The Organization acts as a center for knowledge and innovation in the world cocoa economy; as a platform for institutional cooperation to foster dialogue among its Member countries and between key stakeholders in the cocoa value chain; and as a source of technical assistance for its Member countries.

For more information, please contact:           info@icco.org

La Organización Internacional Del Cacao da la bienvenida a Colombia como 52º país Miembro

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 8 de diciembre de 2021. La Organización Internacional del Cacao tiene el honor de anunciar que, tras un proceso que se inició en 2019, Colombia ha ingresado en la ICCO como país Miembro de pleno derecho.

Ayer, día 7 de diciembre de 2021, el Excmo. Sr. D. Iván Duque, Presidente de la República de Colombia, firmó la ley que autoriza el ingreso de Colombia en la ICCO, en un acto al que asistieron representantes del sector cacaotero colombiano y una delegación de la ICCO, encabezada por su Director Ejecutivo, D. Michel Arrion.

Con el ingreso de Colombia, la ICCO ya cuenta con 52 países Miembros, de los cuales 23 son países Miembros exportadores, y 29 son países Miembros importadores. Colombia será el 9º país Miembro de la región de América Latina y el Caribe, uniéndose a Brasil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Perú, la República Dominicana, Trinidad y Tobago y Venezuela.

Celebrando la buena noticia, el Director Ejecutivo de la ICCO, D. Michel Arrion, comentó: “Nos complace dar la bienvenida a Colombia como 52º Miembro de la ICCO. El ingreso de Colombia representa una prueba tangible de nuestro compromiso compartido de lograr una economía cacaotera mundial más sostenible a través de una colaboración más estrecha entre países exportadores e importadores”.

Durante su estancia en Colombia, la delegación de la ICCO también aprovechó la oportunidad de tomar contacto tanto con varias asociaciones cacaoteras relevantes de Colombia, entre ellos Fedecacao, que desempeñó un papel clave en la finalización de este proceso, como con el sector privado; asimismo, visitó una de las principales regiones cacaoteras del país.

 

Sobre la ICCO

La Organización Internacional del Cacao (ICCO) es una organización intergubernamental creada en 1973 bajo los auspicios de las Naciones Unidas, que opera dentro del marco de sucesivos Convenios Internacionales del Cacao. La ICCO tiene su sede en Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

La Organización cuenta con 52 países Miembros, de los cuales 23 son países exportadores de cacao y 29 son países importadores de cacao. Estos países Miembros juntos representan el 92% de las exportaciones mundiales de cacao y el 80% de las importaciones mundiales de cacao (https://www.icco.org/who-we-are/membership/)

La ICCO tiene como objetivo promover y apoyar la sostenibilidad económica, social y medioambiental de la cadena de valor del cacao y, en particular, mejorar las condiciones de vida de los cacaocultores. La Organización actúa de centro de conocimientos e innovación en la economía cacaotera mundial; de plataforma de cooperación institucional para fomentar el diálogo entre sus países Miembros, así como entre los participantes clave en la cadena de valor del cacao; y de fuente de asistencia técnica para sus países Miembros.

Para más información, contactar con:           info@icco.org

November 2021 Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics

Abidjan, 30 November 2021 – The International Cocoa Organization today releases its revised estimates for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 cocoa years of world production, grindings, and stocks of cocoa beans, summarized below. The data published in Issue No. 4 – Volume XLVII – Cocoa Year 2020/21 of the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, reflect the most recent information available to the Secretariat as at the beginning of November 2021.

For this issue, several revisions have been made to the 2020/21 cocoa balance sheet. On the supply side, the production estimate has been adjusted up by 34,000 tonnes to 5.175 million tonnes, almost 1% above estimate provided in the previous Bulletin. A higher yield observed in most of the major producing countries underlined the upward revisions. Indeed, conducive weather conditions globally played a major role in setting a new production record.

On the demand side, grindings have been adjusted higher by almost 51,000 tonnes to 4.911 million tonnes based on increased use of beans as reflected in the trade of cocoa products. Notwithstanding the challenges of COVID-19, the opening of economies worldwide in 2021 has stimulated the overall recovery observed in the 2020/21 season’s grindings. Cocoa grindings in 2020/21 are heading towards pre-pandemic levels – from an estimate of 4.707 million tonnes in 2019/20 to 4.911 million tonnes in 2020/21, which reflects a 4% year-on-year increase.

Summary of revised estimates

 

Cocoa year
(Oct-Sep)		 2019/2020 2020/2021 Year-on-year change
Revised
estimates		 Previous
estimates a/		 Revised
estimates
(thousand tonnes) (Per cent)
World production 4 735 5 141 5 175 + 440 + 9.3%
World grindings 4 707 4 860 4 911 + 204 + 4.3%
Surplus/deficit b/ -19 + 230 + 212
 
End-of-season stocks 1 712 1 963 1 924 + 212 + 12.4%
Stocks/Grindings ratio 36.4% 30.4% 39.2%

Notes:
a/ Estimates published in Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, Vol. XLVII – No. 3 – Cocoa year 2020/2021
b/  Surplus/deficit: net world crop (gross crop adjusted for loss in weight) minus grindings. Totals may differ due to rounding

 

Statistical information on trade in cocoa beans, cocoa products and chocolate, by country and by region, published in this edition, covers annual data from 2017/18 to 2019/20 and quarterly statistics for the period October-December 2019 to April-June 2021. Details on destinations of exports and origins of imports for leading cocoa exporting countries are also provided.

Copies of the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, in Microsoft Excel and Adobe PDF formats, can be ordered from the new ICCO e-Shop: www.icco.org/shop or by email: statistics.section@icco.org