ACA Attends the 3rd Edition of the Conseil International Consultatif (CICC) Meeting

The 3rd Edition of the Conseil International Consultatif du Cajou (CICC) took place from 17 – 20 December 2019 at the Sopatel Hotel Silmande in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The first meeting day started with a work session of the Ad Hoc Committee members. The work session counted 33 participants from 10 different countries and was made up of members of the Ad Hoc Committee, Experts and Observers. The President of the Ad Hoc Committee, Mr. Jean-Bernard Favi (Managing Director of Commerce, Benin) welcomed everyone present and emphasized the importance of the African cashew sector and the need for the CICC to select an Executive Secretary.

The first day’s meeting was held in a two-part work session. During the first, participants present helped finalize the selection process for an Executive Secretary. The second half had members of the Ad Hoc Committee validating all activities and reports since the committee was set up during the last meeting held in August 2018 in Cotonou, Benin.

To conclude day one, 3 candidates were shortlisted for the position of the Executive Secretary.

On the 2nd day, Wednesday 18th December 2019, of the CICC meeting had an opening ceremony chaired by Mr. Harouna Kabore, Minister of Trade, Industry and Handicrafts of Burkina-Faso, Mr Salifou Ouedraogo, Minister of Agriculture and Hydraulic Management and Mr. Florentino Nanque, ACA President representing the private cashew sector.  Mr. Harouna Kabore explained the contents of the two remaining meeting days ahead of the experts present and also highlighted the CICC as the ideal forum to examine and address various issues related to the sector.

After the opening ceremony, the experts meeting had the goal to further examine the selection process for the position as Executive Secretary of the CICC. This was followed by an assessment of how the resolutions from the 2nd edition of the CICC and the results of the Ad Hoc Committee’s work towards recruiting an Executive Secretary. In addition, a presentation on the state of the cashew sector in the selected CICC member countries, and a review of the updated minimum action plan plus the related 2020 budget took place.

The meeting of experts’ agenda was finally concluded on Thursday 19th December 2019. Discussions on the minimum budget for 2020 were finalized and all reports and supporting documents presented to the Ministers.

Finally, the 3rd Session of the Council of Ministers of the CICC was held on the Friday 20th December at the same venue, the Sopatel Hotel Silmande. The goal was to have closure on all activities started as of 17th December 2019. The day started with an opening ceremony with the Ministers present such as Mrs. Alimatou Shadiya Assouman, Minister of Industry and Trade of Benin, Mr. Harouna Kabore, Minister of Trade, Industry and handicrafts of Burkina-Faso, Mr. Salifou Ouedraogo, Minister of Agriculture and Hydraulic Management, Mr. Florentino Nanque, ACA President and Dr. Bernard Agbo, Sector Organization Manager of GIZ/ComCashew. The highlight of the ceremony was Nigeria signing up to join the CICC, thus bringing the number of member countries to 11. Currently, the member countries are; Benin, Burkina-Faso, Cameroon, Senegal, Mali, Cote- d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, Togo and Nigeria.

The program moved on to a subsequent official tour of the exhibition area showcasing cashew products.

Following this the Council of Ministers met with the cashew experts present to discuss reports and the documents presented to them. This meeting’s agenda was as follows:

  • Presentation of the expert meeting results
  • Appointment of the Executive Secretary of the CICC
  • Adoption of the 2020 Minimum Action Plan and Budget
  • Other Matters.

Of the above agenda only 3 were discussed with the experts present. The appointment of the Executive Secretary was discussed only with the Ministers and the commissioned recruitment companies who presented the three short-listed candidates. The three (3) candidates short-listed were from Cameroon, Benin and Senegal. The Ministers decided that the new Executive Secretary will be Mr. Monsieur André Mahoutin Tandjiekpon from Benin.

Finally, the outgoing CICC President, Mrs. Alimatou Shadiya Assouman, Minister of Industry and Trade of Benin was congratulated for great work during her mandate. She handed over to to Mr. Harouna Kabore, Minister of Trade, Industry and Handicrafts of Burkina-Faso.

The 3rd Edition of the CICC rendez-vous ended with a gala dinner with all the Ministers and participants present giving their best wishes to Burkina-Faso for their new 2020 mandate.