The African Union's recognition of coffee as a strategic anchor commodity in its Agenda 2063 is a historic milestone. This marks a significant moment for the coffee industry on the African continent, said Girma Amente, Ethiopia's Minister of Agriculture and Chair of the Inter-Africa Coffee Organization (IACO).
He emphasized that this recognition, along with the inclusion of IACO as a specialized AU agency, will be instrumental in transforming the African coffee sector through value addition.
“It is also an acknowledgment that only when we work as a continent, the leverage to address the challenges associated with the value addition will be overcome,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Development, Josefa Sacko, echoed a similar sentiment, highlighting the decision as a pilot initiative for transforming other African products.
Africa produces 12% of the world's coffee beans, with Ethiopia and Uganda accounting for a significant 62% of the continent's distribution.