Governance

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Governance

International Cocoa Council

The International Cocoa Council is the highest decision-making body of the ICCO and is composed of all the contracting parties to the International Cocoa Agreement, 2010. It holds two regular sessions per year, and special sessions as required. Council sessions are attended by delegations of all cocoa producing and cocoa consuming Member countries.

The main function of the Council is to determine the strategy of the Organization in addition to supervising its financial policies and reviewing and approving its proposed work programme and budget for each cocoa year.

It is the body to which the different committees and working groups of the organization report.

In its decision-making process, the Council is assisted by different committees and working groups.

Officers of the International Cocoa Council 2024/2025 cocoa year:

H.E Mr Luc Magloire Mbarga Atanga (Cameroon)
Chairman

Minister of Trade

Mr Philippe Fontayne (Madagascar)
Vice-Chairman

Vice President of the National Cocoa Council, Madagascar

Economics Committee

The Economics Committee was established, amongst others, to:

  • Review cocoa statistics and statistical analyses of cocoa production;
  • Examine analyses of market trends and other factors, with particular regard to cocoa supply and demand;
  • Analyse information on market access for cocoa and cocoa products in producing and consuming countries;
  • Examine and recommend to the Council projects for funding by donor agencies;
  • Address issues regarding the economic dimension of sustainable development in the cocoa economy;
  • Review the draft annual work programme of the Organization in cooperation with the Administration and Finance Committee as appropriate;
  • Prepare international cocoa conferences and seminars at the request of the Council; and deal with any other matters as approved by the Council.

Officers of the Economics Committee for the 2024/2025 cocoa year:

Mr. Enselme Gouthon (Togo)
Chair

Secretary General

CCFCC (Coordination Committee for the Coffee and Cocoa  Sectors) – Togo

H.E.M Dominique FAVRE (Switzerland)
Chair

Ambassador of Switzerland to Côte d’Ivoire

Administration and Finance Committee

The Administration and Finance Committee:

  • Supervises, on the basis of the budget presented by the Executive Director, the preparation of the draft administrative budget to be submitted to the Council;,
  • Carries out any other administrative and financial tasks assigned by the Council

Officers of the Administration and Finance Committee for the 2024/2025 cocoa year:

Mrs. Celia Perez Ibañez (Spain)
Chair

Economic and Commercial Counsellor – Embassy of Spain in Côte d’Ivoire

Mr Ray Ankrah (Ghana)
Vice-Chairman

Deputy Chief Executive of Cocobod, Ghana

Consultative Board on the World Cocoa Economy

The Consultative Board on the World Cocoa Economy was inaugurated in December 2003 in order to encourage the active participation of experts from the private sector and civil society in the work of the Organization and to promote a continuous dialogue among experts from the public and private sectors.

Its role is that of an advisory body which advises the Council on issues of general and strategic interest to the cocoa sector.

Officers of the Consultative Board for the 2024/2025:

Mr. Michiel Hendriksz (Switzerland)
Chairman

Executive Director – FarmStrong Foundation

Ms. Merlyn Casanova (Ecuador)
Vice-Chair

Executive Director –  ANECACAO

Expert Working Group on Stocks

The Expert Working Group on Stocks was created in 1989 to support the ICCO Secretariat in considering the challenges associated with assessing the level of world cocoa bean stocks.  It is composed of representatives and analysts from cocoa producing countries, industry and trade associations, cocoa processors and chocolate manufacturers.

The ICCO Secretariat

The ICCO Secretariat is based in the organization headquarters in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

It is the executive body of the ICCO, and is responsible for implementing its 5-year Strategic Action plan, as adopted by the International Cocoa Council.

Technical Assistance

Acts as a source of technical assistance for its Members Countries with a view of strengthening their capacities for relevant cocoa-related development projects, and facilitating support from financial partners.

Institutional Cooperation

Acts as a platform for institutional cooperation by supporting networking among Member Countries, as well as with the private sector and the civil society.

Centre for Knowledge

Acts as a reference centre for knowledge and information by collecting and publishing statistical data and producing reports on the world cocoa economy.

Mr. Michel Arrion
Executive Director

ICCO Secretariat
International Cocoa Organization
06 BP 1166 Abidjan 06
Côte d’Ivoire

Tel: +225 27 22 51 49 50/51
Fax: +225 27 22 51 49 79
E-mail: info@icco.org

Dr. Michele Nardella
Director of the Economics, Statistics and Sustainable Development Division

ICCO Secretariat
International Cocoa Organization
06 BP 1166 Abidjan 06
Côte d’Ivoire

Tel: +225 27 22 51 49 50/51
Fax: +225 27 22 51 49 79
E-mail: info@icco.org

To contact the ICCO Secretariat, click here and see the full list of our team members