African Coffee Summit : Togo advocates for new Coffee paradigm

Uganda recently hosted the second summit of the Group of Twenty-Five African Coffee-Producing Countries (G25) from August 7th to 10th. Represented by the Minister of Trade, Industry, and Local Consumption, Kodjo Adedze, Togo actively participated in the event.

The primary focus of the summit was to explore a transformation of the continent’s coffee sector through “value addition.” Despite Africa contributing approximately 12% of the world’s coffee production, its output only accounted for $2.5 billion in Africa’s economy in 2021. This is in stark contrast to the global commercial value of coffee estimated at $466 billion.

The Togolese minister emphasised the need to revitalise African coffee by generating comprehensive value within the product on both national and continental levels. He highlighted the importance of transformation, domestic coffee consumption, and readiness for opportunities in various markets, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

At the conclusion of the summit, a final declaration was signed by the attending or represented heads of state and government. The declaration expressed a commitment to “further support research on coffee value addition to foster innovation and the development of new products.” It also highlighted the intent to increase investment in coffee processing and promote domestic coffee consumption.

Additionally, the G25 nations agreed to “enhance professional training in the coffee industry for youth and women, aiming to create employment opportunities.” They also vowed to improve access to financing for coffee value enhancement projects, utilising the framework of the African Union and AfCFTA.