Council And Subsidiary Bodies

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, 2001. 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. Members of the Consultative Board on the World Cocoa Economy participate as observers, as do delegations from non-Member countries, cocoa sector associations and international organizations.

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 report.

The officers of the International Cocoa Council for the 2009/2010 cocoa year are:

• Mr. Jindrich Fialka (Czech Republic)
• 1^st Vice-Chairman:  Mr. Enzo Barattini (European Union)
• 2^nd Vice-Chairman: To come from Malaysia

Mr. St-Cyr Djikalou (Côte d'Ivoire) is the spokesman for producing countries, while Mr. Ewald Wermuth (Netherlands) is the spokesman for consuming countries.

The Executive Committee mainly deals with financial and operational matters.  Its Members are elected annually by the Council, representing a balanced proportion of cocoa producing and cocoa consuming Member countries.  The Committee regularly examines the world cocoa market situation, reviews progress reports on projects and new project proposals.  The Executive Committee oversees the finances and administration of the Organization.

The officers of the Executive Committee for the 2009/2010 cocoa year are:

• Chairman: Mr. Tony Fofie (Ghana)
• Vice-Chairman:Mr. Juan Diego Stacey (Ecuador)

One of the most important improvements in the International Cocoa Agreement, 2001 was the establishment of the Consultative Board on the World Cocoa Economy consisting exclusively of private sector representatives.

The Council officially inaugurated the Consultative Board on the World Cocoa Economy in December 2003.  Since its first meeting in March 2004, the Board has implemented an ambitious work programme covering cocoa consumption, cocoa bean processing into intermediate cocoa products, cocoa bean marketing, post-harvest treatment of cocoa beans and training, and cocoa farm establishment and cultivation.

The officers of the Consultative Board on the World Cocoa Economy are:

• Chairman: Dr. José Antonio Martinez Rojas (Dominican Republic)
• Dr. Martin Gilmour (CAOBISCO)

The Working Group for a future International Cocoa Agreement was established at the 31^st special session of the Council in January 2008, to develop suggestions and ideas for a future International Cocoa Agreement and to formulate amended and new articles for a future Agreement.  It is composed of all Member governments of the Organization, as well as Observer countries, invited parties, and the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Consultative Board on the World Cocoa Economy.

Since its inaugural meeting in May 2008, the Working Group has met eight times, and its ninth meeting will take place on Thursday, 25 March 2010 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The conclusion of the negotiations will be a United Nations' Conference in Geneva, scheduled for 19-23 April 2010. Among the many innovative ideas under discussion by the Working Group are the creation of an Economics Committee to work towards the improvement of market transparency and market development. The Working Group is also considering the ways and means to strengthen the operational activities of the Organization through the procurement of additional sources of financing, as well as the future development of a Sustainable Cocoa Economy. Also under discussion is a new system for the calculation of votes held by Members.

The officers of the Working Group for a future International Cocoa Agreement are:

• Chairman: Dr. Victor Iyama (Nigeria)
• Vice-Chairman: Mr. Hagen Streichert (Germany)

The Expert Working Group on Stocks was created in 1989 to support the ICCO Secretariat in considering the problems 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 Group conducts an annual survey on warehouse stocks of cocoa beans and establishes an assessment of the level of world cocoa bean stocks.  It also considers various other issues to improve the reliability of the assessment of the world level of cocoa stocks, such as the harmonization of statistics on production, grindings and stocks.

The Chairman of the Expert Working Group on Stocks is Mr. Philip Sigley (The Federation of Cocoa Commerce Ltd).

The Expert Working Group on Quality was established in 1989 to consider issues pertaining to cocoa quality.  Among other issues, the Group has considered the subject of ochratoxins in food products, including cocoa; the issue of poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH); the progress made in the development and implementation of the "Total Quality" project; and the implementation of the Resolution on International Standards for Food Grade Jute Bags used for exporting cocoa beans.

The Chairman of the Expert Working Group on Quality is Mr. Tom Harrison.

Secretariat Management:

• Executive Director: Dr. Jan Vingerhoets
• Director of the Economics & Statistics Division: Dr. Jean-Marc Anga