The International Coffee Organization (ICO) was set up in 1963 in London, under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) due to the economic importance of coffee. It administers the International Coffee Agreement (ICA), an important instrument for development cooperation.
International Coffee Organization
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|---|---|
 Logo
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 ICO exporting members ICO importing members | |
| Headquarters | London, WC1 United Kingdom |
| Official languages | |
| Type | Trade bloc |
| Members | Exporting
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| Leaders | |
• Executive director |  Vanusia Nogueira |
| Establishment | 1963 |
| Currency | Indexed as USD-per-lb |
Website www | |
It was a result of the five-year International Coffee Agreement (ICA) signed in 1962 at the UN in New York City and renegotiated in 1968, 1976, 1983, 1994 and 2007 at the ICO in London.[1] The ICA administered a quota system to stabilize fluctuating coffee prices across the world between coffee producing and consuming countries.[2]
The mission of the ICO is "...to strengthen the global coffee sector and promote its sustainable expansion in a market-based environment for the benefit of all actors in the Global Coffee Value Chain (G-CVC)"[3]
The ICO's headquarters is located at 222 Gray's Inn Road in London and its current executive director is the Brazilian Vanúsia Nogueira.[4]
The United States officially withdrew from the International Coffee Agreement in June 2018.[5] As of February 2, 2022 ICO Member Governments represent 93% of world coffee production and 63% of world consumption.[6][7]
Purpose
editThe ICO serves as a watchdog for the coffee trade and allocates votes based on coffee production in each country. Countries are split into producer and consumer nations, allocating each side 50% voting power. Brazil, as the largest exporter of coffee, was allocated the most votes of the producing countries while the United States, as the largest importer of coffee, was allocated the most votes of the consuming countries.[8] The ICO serves as a watchdog by keeping track of exports and imports and by administering quotas under the 1962 ICA to coffee consuming and producing countries. Imports are monitored by the original importing member countries of the ICA and reported to the ICO, who issues quota-based stamps to producing countries. Consuming countries agreed to not accept any coffee without a stamp to keep the quotas in place.[9] Monitoring quotas and establishing limitations is important to protect producers and consumers by creating an equilibrium that avoids price escalation while keeping fair wages for coffee growers. It also helps to keep conditions fair for coffee farm workers by keeping production at a reasonable level.[8]
Structure
editThe International Coffee Council is the highest authority of the Organization and is composed of representatives of each Member Government. It meets in March and September to discuss coffee matters, approve strategic documents and consider the recommendations of advisory bodies and committees. It's decisions are made by consensus.[10]
Apart from the International Coffee Council, there is the Finance and Administration Committee which provides the ICC with recommendations on financial issues such as approvals of the Administrative Budget and the Annual Accounts of the Organization. The Joint Committee handles matters previously considered by the Projects, Statistics, and Promotion and Market Development Committees during the transition from ICA 2007 to ICA 2022.[10]
Leadership
editInternational Coffee Council
- Chair: Enselme Gouthon (Togo)
- Vice-chair: Tom Fabozzi (EU-Ireland)
Finance and Administration Committee
- Chair: Zoltan Agai (EU- European Commission)
- Vice-chair: Vera Espíndola (Mexico)
Joint Committee:
- Chair: H.E. Aly Touré (Côte d'Ivoire)
- Vice-chair: Zoltan Agai (EU-European Commission)
Membership
editAs 2 February 2022, its membership comprises 42 producing members and 7 importing members.[6][7]
- Exporting Member Countries
Angola
Bolivia- Brazil
Burundi
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Colombia
Costa Rica
Côte d'Ivoire
Cuba
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Ecuador
El Salvador
Ethiopia
Gabon
Ghana
Honduras
India
Indonesia
Kenya
Liberia
Madagascar
Malawi
Mexico
Nepal
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Peru
Philippines
Rwanda
Sierra Leone
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
- Importing Member Countries
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "History". International Coffee Organization. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
- ^ Akiyama, Takamasa; Varangis, Panayotis N. (1990). "The Impact of the International Coffee Agreement on Producing Countries". The World Bank Economic Review. 4 (2): 157–173. doi:10.1093/wber/4.2.157. ISSN 0258-6770. JSTOR 3989927.
- ^ "About Us | International Coffee Organization". Retrieved 2024-11-07.
- ^ "Executive Director".
- ^ "Press Release" (PDF). International Coffee Organization. 3 April 2018.
- ^ a b "International Coffee Organization - Members of the International Coffee Organization". 1 August 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Members of the International Coffee Organization". International Coffee Organization. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
- ^ a b Johnson, David Conrad (2010). "The International Coffee Agreement and the Production of Coffee in Guatemala, 1962-1989". Latin American Perspectives. 37 (2): 34–49. ISSN 0094-582X.
- ^ Talbot, John M. (1995). "Regulating the Coffee Commodity Chain: Internationalization and the Coffee Cartel". Berkeley Journal of Sociology. 40: 113–149. ISSN 0067-5830.
- ^ a b "Governance Office Holders | International Coffee Organization". Retrieved 2024-11-07.
