Abidjan - A meeting held on 11 November 2020 in Accra, as part of the cooperation between Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana in cocoa marketing policies, revealed, among other things, the effective implementation of the Decent Income Differential (DRD) in both countries.

According to the final communiqué of the meeting transmitted to the AIP, Friday, November 27, 2020, the Director General of the Coffee-Cocoa Council, Koné Brahima Yves and his counterpart from Ghana cocoa board, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, also noted the increase in prices to producers in both countries, adequately. All of the DRD was paid directly to cocoa producers.

"The meeting recognized the appreciation of producers following the implementation of the DRD which will improve their standard of living," the statement continued. This text also mentions that Ghana is on track in preparations to host the headquarters of the Cocoa Initiative Côte d'Ivoire - Ghana.

The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to take all possible measures to ensure the institutionalization of the Decent Income Differential, maintain the DRD and reject, as a whole, any attempt to weaken its implementation. "Measures to ensure the effective implementation of the DRD have been approved and adopted," concludes the final communiqué of the Accra meeting.

The meeting was convened to take stock of the progress made in harmonizing marketing policies, in particular with regard to the implementation of the Decent Income Differential, as well as to accelerate the pace of cooperation and develop strategies for the view of relevant stakeholder engagement.

The foundations of this cooperation called "The Abidjan Declaration" were launched on March 26, 2018, by President Alassane Ouattara and Nana Akuffo-Addo. They are carried out on the ground by the regulatory authorities of the cocoa sector of both countries, in this case the Coffee-Cocoa Council and Ghana cocoa board. With 40% of the world's cocoa supply, Côte d'Ivoire is the leading producer of cocoa beans. Together with Ghana, these two countries account for 60% of the overall cocoa supply.