The Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr. Randy Abbey, has called for greater trust, transparency, and unity between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire as the two countries work to strengthen cooperation and secure better value for their cocoa on the international market.
Speaking at a meeting of the Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI) in Abidjan, Dr. Abbey emphasized that sustained collaboration between the world’s two largest cocoa-producing nations remains essential to improving farmer incomes, increasing market influence, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the cocoa sector.
According to him, although Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire have made significant progress through the Initiative, future success will largely depend on the ability of both countries to deepen mutual confidence and maintain a common strategic direction on key industry issues, particularly cocoa pricing.
“Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire have a unique opportunity to shape the future of the global cocoa industry. However, this can only be achieved if we continue to work together in a spirit of openness, honesty, and trust,” Dr. Abbey stated.
He noted that Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire collectively account for more than 60 percent of global cocoa production, placing them in a strong position to influence the international cocoa market and advocate for the interests of cocoa farmers.
Dr. Abbey therefore urged both countries to move beyond discussions and demonstrate a firm commitment to coordinated action that protects producers and strengthens their bargaining power on the global stage.
“With one accord, the two countries can achieve a lot in terms of price on the international market,” he emphasized.
The COCOBOD Chief Executive observed that uncoordinated approaches to pricing and market engagement could undermine efforts to secure fair value for cocoa producers. He stressed that stronger cooperation between the two countries would significantly improve their ability to negotiate better returns from cocoa exports.
He further underscored the importance of transparency in all collaborative arrangements, describing trust as the foundation upon which successful partnerships are built.
“The discussions we hold must be matched by practical actions and mutual confidence. Without trust and transparency, it becomes difficult to achieve the common objectives we seek for our farmers and our economies,” he added.
Beyond pricing, Dr. Abbey highlighted the need for Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire to continue working together on broader challenges facing the cocoa industry, including sustainability, traceability, climate resilience, and farmer welfare.
The Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana Cocoa Initiative was established to deepen strategic cooperation between the two countries and provide a platform for addressing common challenges confronting the cocoa sector. The initiative also seeks to promote policies aimed at improving the livelihoods of cocoa farmers while strengthening the position of producing countries within the global cocoa value chain.
Industry stakeholders have long maintained that closer collaboration between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire is critical to increasing their influence in the international cocoa market, improving value retention within producing countries, and ensuring farmers receive a fairer share of the wealth generated from cocoa.
With global demand for sustainably sourced cocoa continuing to rise and international regulatory requirements becoming increasingly stringent, many industry observers believe that a stronger Ghana–Côte d’Ivoire partnership will play a decisive role in shaping the future of the global cocoa trade and advancing the welfare of millions of cocoa farming households across West Africa.
