Permanent Representative of Côte d’Ivoire to ICBs visits CFC
H.E. Mr. Aly Toure, Permanent Representative of Côte d'Ivoire to International Commodity Organizations in London, is seen with Managing Director Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal at the Secretariat of the CFC. H.E. Mr. Toure came to visit CFC, for the first time at its new offices, to know more about the ongoing activities of the CFC and its impact on the ground. As a commodity dependent country, Côte d’Ivoire, as stated by Ambassador Toure, takes CFC with utmost importance. Côte d’Ivoire expressed its readiness to do more for their people as well as for all poor people in the region.
Ambassador Belal was accompanied by Mr. Nicolaus Cromme, Chief Operations Officer a.i., and Ms. Michèle Schwarz, Head of Accounting and Administration.
Welcoming Ambassador Toure, Ambassador Belal briefed him on the current as well as probable future initiatives of the CFC during the discussion. Ambassador Belal, terming Côte d'Ivoire as commodity powerhouse as well as a standard bearer of using commodity for the welfare of their people, wished to see far more deeper collaborations with the country in the future. They discussed status and potential of commodities like cocoa, coffee, rubber, pineapple, mango, banana, etc. Ambassador Belal highlighted the CFC’s interest in those commodities where lives and livings of most of the smallholders are involved. As such, expressed their interests in the sectors of cocoa, coffee and rubber while remaining open to others as well.
Ambassador Belal assured the CFC’s total support for any initiative that will help bringing more income for the smallholders without harming the planet and the people.
Highlighting the growing awareness of the present-day consumers, Ambassador Belal hoped that the day of green washing is over and real sustainability is on its way. No sustainability could work without paying the rightful wages to farmers.
Ambassador Belal also briefed Ambassador Toure on the ongoing initiative on the formulation of a fund titled CIIF (Commodity Impact Investment Facility) as well as CFC’s pioneering concept of “Development Impact Bond (DIB)” bringing a whole new partnership among stakeholders across the commodity value chain.
Before taking leave, Ambassador Toure assured that he will do his best to bring good project ideas from his country and the region as well as promoting the idea of CIIF and DIB. Ambassador Toure expressed his country’s support to do more with the CFC for alleviation of poverty globally. He also reiterated the importance of ICBs and broader collaboration with the CFC in the future.
Ambassador Toure also extended invitation to the Managing Director of CFC to visit his country to have more in depth discussions with other stakeholders across commodity value chains. Ambassador Belal readily agreed to visit the region when occasion so demands.