The International Coffee Organisation (ICO) has responded to various claims that the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) recently rose, which they (UCDA) said led to their withdrawal from the International Coffee Agreement (ICA).
The ICO is the only international inter-governmental organization that includes both exporting and importing countries supporting the global coffee sector and has now become even stronger with the mobilization and engagement of the leading coffee industry, international NGOs, and development partners through the Coffee Public-Private Task Force (CPPTF).
As of 2 February 2022, the exporting members of the ICO still represent 93% of world coffee production and 64% of consumption.
On 2 February 2022, the ICO announced the withdrawal of Uganda from the ICA 2007, as per the Depositary Notification DN-144/22/1CA 2007.
This followed a September 2021 notification which UCDA led by their embattled ED Dr. Emmanuel Iyamulemye Niyibigira sent to ICO, “On behalf of the government of the decision to not participate in the extension of the ICA 2007, effectively ending the participation of Uganda in the ICO as of 1 February 2022,“
ICO said in a February 22, press statement that the extension of the ICA 2007 has been approved by all ICO members except Uganda.
“Since receiving the notification from the UCDA, the ICO and the Chair of the International Coffee Council (ICC) have made several attempts to engage with Ugandan authorities, including President Museveni, without any response or receiving the reason for the decision of the UCDA,” ICO said in a press statement.
Response to the Claims
On 9 February, the UCDA issued a public statement putting forward seven reasons for not agreeing with the extension of the ICA 2007.
UCDA had made several demands which among others included; Giving Uganda a chance to add value to its coffee before it is exported, Reducing exorbitant taxes on Ugandan coffee, ICO to fight price fluctuations in the coffee business, A transparent pricing mechanism, Having Ugandan coffee classified based on the country of origin, and ICO desisting from being private sector-led and instead of serving the countries for which it was established.
Dr. Iyamulemye told reporters in Kampala, “We have made it clear to ICO that unless our submissions made to them are considered and handled in two years, we shall not be part of the agreement and will not be paying the subscription fees,”
“We shall instead use this money to add value to our coffee and develop our coffee sector. We want to be exporters of value-added coffee and not exporters of green beans as the organization wants us to remain. This way we shall be able to improve on the incomes of our farmers and develop the country’s economy,” he added.
In response, ICO said that Ugandan authorities had abundant opportunities but decided not to address these issues within the established negotiation and decision-making mechanisms of the ICA 2007 and the ICO.
“In March 2019, the ICC, the highest decision-making body in the organization, established a Working Group on the Future of the International Coffee Agreement (WGFA) to update and reform the current Agreement,” they said
They said that the participation in the WGFA is open to all ICO Members, “nevertheless, Ugandan representatives have not been actively participating in this process and have never submitted any proposal for change based the UCDA statement of 9 February,”
“Their vision and interest, nor on the issues raised in The reform process of the International Coffee Agreement are progressing successfully and the new ICA is expected to become even more relevant in supporting the sustainable development. of the coffee sector in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including the integration of the private sector,”
ICO says that Three of seven UCDA’s concerns have no actual linkage with the Agreement itself and UCDA nor Ugandan authorities have never addressed them within ICO Sessions of the Council or in any other meetings of its subsidiary bodies, such as the Statistical Committee.
“With regard to the other four concerns, the ICO has never received any proposals for change in any of its forums from Uganda. These four issues raised by UCDA are already addressed in the current ICA and are being revised by ICO Members as part of the WGFA process,” the statement reads
The ICO Secretariat, said that the Ugandan coffee sector would be better served by staying in the current ICA, and together with all other ICO exporting and importing Members, participating in the drafting of the new Agreement based on its interest, in a true spirit of multilateralism that has always guided the participation of Uganda in international forums.
“All ICO Members, as indicated on different occasions, would have welcomed the contributions of Uganda to the WGFA, however, as an old African proverb says “You cannot claim your share of the meal while you are not at the dinner table,”
“The doors of the ICO will always be open if and when Uganda decides to rejoin the International Coffee Agreement and the ICO,”
