Yemen to Join International Coffee Organization
In a discussion that reportedly took place during this week’s World Coffee Conference 2010 in London, Yemen’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture for the Production Development Sector, Abdul-Malik al-Thawr, broached the subject of the country becoming a member of the International Coffee Organization (ICO).
Talking through the possibility with Dr Néstor Osorio Londoño, executive director of the ICO, the pair discussed the required procedures that Yemen would need to go through, in order to qualify for membership within the organisation.
The two parties considered aspects of Yemen’s proposed involvement and contributions that the country could make which would potentially prove beneficial in respect to its inclusion in the ICO. They also reviewed the projects to be implemented in line with the organisation’s guidance on coffee production statistics and information.
The gentlemen also talked about the possibility of Yemen participating at an upcoming coffee conference, to be held in Sana’a in December this year.
In gaining full membership to the organisation, Yemen will be able to enjoy ICO benefits such as the development and improvement of its coffee growing capabilities, as well as enabling access to new external markets for the export of Yemeni coffee.
As a member, Yemen would also be able to make use of ICO support in the fields of research and capacity building, in addition to aiding studies on both the production as well as the consumption of coffee. Furthermore, Yemen would apparently also gain access to other member state information in respect to their coffee output, exports, imports and other aspects of trade in general.