US re-joins global coffee organisation
Mar 08, 2005
THE US has acceded to the 2001 International Coffee Organisation’s (ICO) agreement and rejoined the coffee body, a statement posted on the US State Department website has said.
By Macrines Nyapendi
THE US has acceded to the 2001 International Coffee Organisation’s (ICO) agreement and rejoined the coffee body, a statement posted on the US State Department website has said.
“I am pleased to announce that the US has acceded to the 2001 ICO agreement effective February 3, 2005,†Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, said in the statement.
The US withdrew membership from ICO in the late 1990s protesting quotas imposed on growing countries, which restricted supply.
“We announced our intention to re-join in September 2004 and completed the process when we deposited our instruments of accession with the Secretary General of the United Nations,†Rice said.
ICO’s executive director, Nestor Osorio, said the come-back showed support from the world’s largest consumer of coffee is vital for cooperation between producers and consumers.
The US is the world’s largest consumer of coffee, taking up 24% of imported coffee. The US membership makes the number of member countries 74.
Anthony Wayne, the US’s assistant secretary for economic and business affairs, said, “ICO has been transformed since we last had a seat there. It is modern with broader roles not just trade, but the wider questions of development, marketing and sustainability, which affect producers and consumers.â€
ICO was founded in 1947. Since then, it has grown from its original 11 member countries (10 in Europe and US), to 74 countries world wide.
Osorio said ICO is a valuable forum.
THE US has acceded to the 2001 International Coffee Organisation’s (ICO) agreement and rejoined the coffee body, a statement posted on the US State Department website has said.
“I am pleased to announce that the US has acceded to the 2001 ICO agreement effective February 3, 2005,†Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, said in the statement.
The US withdrew membership from ICO in the late 1990s protesting quotas imposed on growing countries, which restricted supply.
“We announced our intention to re-join in September 2004 and completed the process when we deposited our instruments of accession with the Secretary General of the United Nations,†Rice said.
ICO’s executive director, Nestor Osorio, said the come-back showed support from the world’s largest consumer of coffee is vital for cooperation between producers and consumers.
The US is the world’s largest consumer of coffee, taking up 24% of imported coffee. The US membership makes the number of member countries 74.
Anthony Wayne, the US’s assistant secretary for economic and business affairs, said, “ICO has been transformed since we last had a seat there. It is modern with broader roles not just trade, but the wider questions of development, marketing and sustainability, which affect producers and consumers.â€
ICO was founded in 1947. Since then, it has grown from its original 11 member countries (10 in Europe and US), to 74 countries world wide.
Osorio said ICO is a valuable forum.