President Mahama heads to Abidjan for high-level cocoa economy summit

President John Dramani Mahama is expected to travel to Abidjan to participate in the Côte d'Ivoire–Ghana High-Level Summit on the Future of the Cocoa Economy.

The summit will bring together President Mahama and his Ivorian counterpart, Alassane Ouattara, for bilateral discussions focused on strengthening cooperation and developing strategies to secure the long-term sustainability of the cocoa sector in both countries.

The meeting follows a series of preparatory engagements held under the framework of the Côte d'Ivoire–Ghana Cocoa Initiative, which has become a key platform for coordinating cocoa policies and advancing the interests of cocoa farmers in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire.

Ahead of the summit, Ghana’s Finance Minister and Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Côte d'Ivoire–Ghana Cocoa Initiative, Cassiel Ato Forson, underscored the importance of the gathering and expressed optimism about its potential outcomes.

According to Dr Forson, discussions leading up to the summit have been productive and are expected to result in stronger measures to protect the cocoa industry while improving the livelihoods of cocoa farmers.

“The cocoa industry will be better protected, and the cocoa farmer will be the ultimate beneficiary,” he said.

He added that the preparatory meetings had yielded positive results, with both countries reaching common positions aimed at safeguarding the interests of cocoa producers.

“The meeting was very fruitful, and we have arrived at common positions that will protect the cocoa farmer,” Dr Forson stated.

The summit is expected to focus on enhancing cooperation between the world’s two largest cocoa-producing nations and addressing key challenges facing the industry, including sustainability, pricing, farmer welfare and long-term market stability.