Meeting of the CFC and International Commodity Bodies

30 March 2009

The Executive Director, Mr Néstor Osorio, attended the 16th meeting of the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) and International Commodity Bodies (ICBs) held in Beijing on 30 and 31 March 2009. The meeting was chaired by the CFC Managing Director, H.E. Mr Ali Mchumo, and Ms Coosje Hoogendoorn, Director General of the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR). It was attended by Executive Directors and senior representatives of leading commodity organizations, including Coffee, Cocoa, Cotton, Jute, Lead and Zinc, Nickel, Olive, Rubber, Sugar and Tropical Timber, as well as representatives of the EC, the FAO and UNCTAD. Participants discussed the future role of the CFC and expectations of ICBs in the context of the changing economic environment, the implementation of the CFC Five-Year Action Plan and future cooperation between the CFC and ICBs. The Co-Chair of the INBAR Board of Trustees, Ms Jiang Zehui, and the CFC Managing Director made statements to the meeting. A policy workshop on the advantages and disadvantages of certification for commodities subsequently took place on 2 April at which the Executive Director presented a paper giving an overview of certification schemes for coffee. A statement urging the G20 to develop a global action plan to assist commodity dependent countries signed by the CFC Managing Director and heads of ICBs was issued at the end of the meeting.