Appointment of Dr. Jean-Marc Anga to serve as Acting Executive Director with effect from 1 October 2010

Dr. Jan Vingerhoets, the incumbent Executive Director of the International Cocoa Organization announced to the 81st regular session of the Council that he would not be available for a renewal of his contract after 30 September 2010 for personal reasons.

The Council expressed its sincere gratitude to Dr. Vingerhoets for his excellent and hard working service to the Organization over many years and agreed that Dr. Jean-Marc Anga, the incumbent Director of the Economics and Statistics Division of the Organization, would serve as Acting Executive Director for the duration of the current International Cocoa Agreement with effect from 1 October 2010. The full text of the decision taken by the Council in this respect is as follows:

The International Cocoa Council

Observing that the mandate of the incumbent Executive Director expires on 30 September 2010, and that the latter has indicated that he is not available for an extension of his mandate;

Noting further that the current International Cocoa Agreement, 2001 has been extended, in whole, for a period of two years from 1 October 2010, in accordance with the provisions of Article 63;

Considering that, in accordance with the provisions of Article 62, the mandate of the Executive Director may not exceed the duration of the current International Cocoa Agreement, 2001.

DECIDES

To appoint the incumbent Director of the Economics and Statistics Division to serve as Acting Executive Director on an interim basis, with effect from 1 October 2010, for the duration of the current International Cocoa Agreement. This appointment is without prejudice to the incumbent’s existing permanent contract as Director of the Economics and Statistics Division;

To launch, on 1 October 2011, the formal procedure to recruit and select a new Executive Director in accordance with Rule 67 of the Administrative Rules.”