Cameroon will from Monday October 8, 2012 play host to the 75th General Assembly of the Conference of Cocoa Producing Countries (COPAL), which coincides with the Conference's golden jubilee as well as the 17th International Conference on Cocoa Research. The triple events to run from October 8 - 21 will take place at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel with exhibitions at the Warda Multipurpose Sports Complex still in Yaounde.
Speaking in Yaounde yesterday October 4 during a news conference to announce the event, the Minister of Trade (Mincommerce), Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, said the Head of State had given his ok for the event to hold and that the Head of Government had also gone further to set up an inter-ministerial team which has been working tooth and nail for the conferences to hold hitch-free. "On October 8, 2009, the Secretary General of COPAL sent us a memorandum, soliciting Cameroon to host the International Conference on Cocoa Research for Africa this October 2012. On November 26, 2010, the Head of State gave his ok for the holding of this important event. Coincidentally, through a decision of the 74th General Assembly of COPAL of September 12-16, 2012 in Brazil, Cameroon through the Minister of Trade, was elected President of the Bureau of the General Assembly of COPAL and at the same time designated to host the 75th General Assembly from October 8-12, 2012. Also, during the session, it was adopted that the Yaounde conference will also host the 50th anniversary celebrations of COPAL," the Minister said.
Mr Mbarga Atangana disclosed that over 200 cocoa stakeholders are expected in Yaounde for the triple event which he noted would have far-reaching consequences on the cocoa sector in the country. Unhealthy methods of drying cocoa in the country, especially along paved roads which greatly jeopardises the quality of the product, ageing plantations and producers which have been hunting the sector are expected to be addressed either during the plenary discussions or exhibitions that will characterise the Yaounde confab. He noted that the cocoa sector fetches over 13 billion dollars annually to the world economy and in Cameroon, production as well as export has been evolving over the years. "The European Union has put in place new regulation which stipulates that as from April, 2013, any cocoa bean that is not properly dried will not be exported. We will need to adapt to the new regulation," he added.
