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Ivory Coast & Ghana: World’s Top Cocoa producers partner for Increases; SOAD on board

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#IvoryCoast – September 26, 2020 — Workers in the cocoa industry of Ghana and the Ivory Coast should begin to earn higher salaries in October; a 2018 agreement struck between the countries which are the world’s top producers of cocoa is beginning to bear fruit.

The Price Agreement, signed in March 2018 was chiefly aimed at ending price competition and levelling what the marketplace pays for cocoa from either Ghana or the Ivory Coast.

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It is working, and can hopefully boost income from just three percent of the global chocolate industry revenue, to a figure commensurate with the level of production.

The International Cocoa Organization published in 2017, that the chocolate industry recorded $22 billion of trade. The Ivory Coast earned scraps; a mere $3.3 billion when it produces 44 percent of the world’s cocoa.


His Excellency George-Louis Tin , Prime Minister – State of the African Diaspora (SOAD)

The State of the African Diaspora, SOAD is not only monitoring the progresses of the Price Agreement and the strategies being undertaken to ensure African nations can convert highest production into highest earnings, but it has a multi-talented farmer in the field.

“His Excellency, the man in front of you, is a medical doctor, a farmer, a city mayor and a chancellor of African Kings and African Leaders. Since the Declaration of The Sixth Region of Africa, the State of African Diaspora has been officially created on July 1st 2018, at the 31st Summit of the African Union, in Noaktchot in Mauritania.   


His Excellency Dr Roland Goprou, Roving Ambassador for Mano River countries, SOAD

His Excellency Dr Roland Goprou has been appointed by The Prime Minister of The State of African Diaspora, His Excellency George-Louis Tin as the First Roving Ambassador of Africa. 

As an Ivorian, His Excellency Roland Goprou, according to the saying: ‘Charity starts at home’ has decided to take the four Mano River Countries as his stronghold.  Since last year he has been travelling in those countries: Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia to present his accreditation letter to the different governments,” said Professor Bertin Amissale, speaking at the introduction of Dr. Goprou on May 25, 2020.

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His Excellency Dr Roland Goprou runs a successful cocoa operation along the Mano River and approved the declaration signed between Alassane Ouattara, Ivorian President and Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana.

“This agreement will benefit us because there will be a price stability.  Two heads of state finally agree to practice the same prices in Ghana and the Ivory Coast will be a sigh of relief to producers because it will prevent the illegal selling of our various products,” said His Excellency, Dr. Goprou who has actioned scholarships for 1,000 Liberian youth from the State of the African Diaspora and who is advancing a potable water project for the Mano River countries.

SOAD is recognized by the 47-year old Mano River Union, (MRU) which synergises protective and developmental efforts for the countries of Ivory Coast, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, where the MRU is headquartered.

Cocoa plant
Cocoa fruit

“Also good news for producers, on September 24, Youssouf Fadiga, Director General of Ivorian National Bank said support will increase by eight percent compared to the previous campaign, and will be for cooperative societies, businesses and operators in the coffee-cocoa sector in order to enable them to finance more easily their purchases.  A 2020-2021 marketing campaign is also set to be launched in a matter of days on October 1,” informed His Excellency as he rehashed a major announcement by the Ivorian National Bank (BNI) which has earmarked nearly $200 million to support coffee and cocoa farming. 

Other plans of these top tier cocoa producers, via the 2018 Agreement, is to boost harvest,  expand storage capacity, potentially venture into cocoa paste production and collaborate to protect cocoa crops from swollen-shoot disease.

Africa

Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting in Zanzibar calls for justice to become a reality for all 2.5 billion Commonwealth citizens

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March 9, 2024 – In her remarks to the opening ceremony on 4 March 2024, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, told more than 400 ministers, senior government officials, and other dignitaries from across the world’s six regions:

“It is our responsibility to drive forward the paradigm shift agreed at our last meeting in Mauritius to deliver on the Commonwealth Access to Justice Declaration and ensure that people of the Commonwealth know they have access to justice because they can taste it, see it and feel it.”

In light of escalating crises around the world, she commended the work of Commonwealth law ministers while calling for even greater emphasis to be placed on justice as an “essential strength” in overcoming the current challenges.

The Secretary-General urged ministers ahead of their deliberations to dig deeper with rigour and courage to ensure that the commitments are not just words on paper but the lived experience of all.

A timely opportunity

The meeting was inaugurated by H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, who underscored the crucial role of law in addressing unprecedented global challenges and described the meeting as a timely opportunity to cooperate on strengthening legal systems.

She said:

“This forum will open doors for further collaboration, innovation, and collective action as we strive to meet the evolving needs of our societies.

“Together, we can build a better future where justice prevails, and the rights of every individual are protected to sustain sustainable development across Commonwealth nations.”

Reflecting on the meeting’s theme, ‘How digitalisation paves the way for the development of people-centred access to justice’, the President highlighted her government’s use of technology to enhance legal services, including through the rollout of time-saving e-courts.

She also spoke about the ‘Mama Samia Legal Aid Campaign’, which offers legal aid and information to citizens on various issues, including gender-based violence and dispute resolution.

Hosted by the United Republic of Tanzania, the biennial meeting is the principal decision-making body for law ministers from the 56 Commonwealth countries.

Over the next four days, ministers will deliberate on the policy and strategic actions required to address access to justice challenges, especially for women, people with disabilities and those living in poverty.

Ministers will also exchange innovative practices on evidence-based policymaking and the effective use of digital resources to bridge gaps and enhance the delivery of justice services.

Justice gap

More than 5.1 billion people – two-thirds of the world’s population – lack meaningful access to justice. Lost income and stress-related illness due to seeking legal redress can cost countries up to 3 per cent of their gross domestic product every year.

Hon Ambassador Dr Pindi H. Chana, the meeting’s Chair and the United Republic of Tanzania’s Minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, said the gathering would facilitate a meaningful dialogue to overcome legal hurdles facing countries.

She added:

“From promoting access to justice to strengthening legal frameworks, our discussions over the coming days will contribute to shaping the future of law and governance within the Commonwealth countries.

“Together, we can build a Commonwealth where justice and equality reign supreme.”

A moment of silence was observed during the ceremony to honour the late President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Ali Hassan Mwinyi, who passed away on 29 February 2024.

Alongside the meeting, a series of side events are being organised to ensure diverse perspectives, from disability inclusion to digital trade law, contribute to ministerial discussions.

A statement summarising the meeting outcomes will be issued on 8 March 2024, which will support countries in realising the mandates set out in the Commonwealth Access to Justice Declaration – a commitment by all 56 member countries to ensure universal access to justice.

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Africa

Kenya multinational force to arrive in February in Haiti 

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Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer 

 

#Kenya, December 21, 2023 – Saving Haiti from the current crisis is becoming less of just spoken word and more of real action as Kenya is scheduled to send more than one hundred soldiers to the republic come February 2024.

This is according to reports on Sunday by Kenyan authorities, following Haiti’s visit to Nairobi, Kenya on Wednesday December 13th.  The Haitian delegation was led by Mr. Frantz Elbé, Director General of the Police National D’Haiti (PNH) or Haitian National Police in English, and it included members of the High Command and Senior Officers from the Ministry of Justice.

Elbé, according to the PNH, met with the Director General of the Kenyan Police and his Deputy Inspector General in charge of the Administrative Police.

This meeting was to discuss technical details related to the deployment of the Multinational Support Mission to Security (MMAS).

Reports say that regarding the mission, Kenya is demanding the disbursement of a first portion of $230 million. Also, it is important that the potential cost of the mission is noted, that is USD$600 million, reports say.

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Africa

DRC to get Worse for Women and Children says UN report

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Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

 

#Africa, November 25, 2023 – As the country prepares for general elections in December women and children in the Democratic Republic of Congo are experiencing some of the worst human rights abuses in the world according to UN reports.

“The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is on track to have record levels of verified grave violations against children for a third consecutive year in 2023 – In both 2021 and 2022, DRC had the world’s highest levels of verified cases of sexual violence against children committed by armed forces and armed groups,” UNESCO explained. The 2023 levels of ‘grave abuses’ against children has risen 41 percent this year.

It’s years of armed conflict between over 100 different rebel groups both foreign and local that has precipitated the foreboding increase. The UN is describing the resulting humanitarian crises in DRC as an epidemic of gender based violence.

Armed groups have been struggling for control of the DRC ever since rebels ousted from Rwanda captured the capital of then Zaire and renamed it the DRC.

Increased tensions have followed the planned departure of UN peace keepers under the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).

MONUSCO, established by the UN in 2010 had been authorized to use all necessary means to carry out its mandate to ‘protect of civilians, humanitarian personnel and human rights defenders under imminent threat of physical violence and to support the Government of the DRC in its stabilization and peace consolidation efforts.’

It’s another UN intervention which has been labeled a failure.

More than five million people have been displaced because of the ongoing clashes.  The situation is expected to worsen in 2024.

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