PRESS RELEASE ON THE EIGHTH COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE CONSULTATIVE INTERNATIONAL CASHEW COUNCIL (8th CM-CICC)

The Consultative International Cashew Council (CICC) will organize the 8th session of its Council of Ministers (CM-CICC) from 23 to 25 November 2026 in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, under the central theme “10 years of the CICC: from consultation to convergence”. The work of the experts will take place at the IVOTEL Hotel, while the ministerial meeting will be held at the NOOM Hotel. This event, which is of great significance for the global cashew industry, will be coupled with the 5th edition of the International Exhibition of Cashew Processing Equipment and Technologies (SIETTA 2026).

This 8th session is highly symbolic, as it marks the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the CICC. Created in November 2016 in Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), the CICC is an intergovernmental organization for the promotion of cashew. For a decade, its mission has been to provide a framework for consultation and promote the sustainable development of cashew value chains in the space of member states, through policy coordination and regional and international cooperation. The organization currently has twelve (12) member countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo. The CICC is open to all producing countries, processors, exporters, importers and consumers.

The Council of Ministers, the supreme decision-making body of the CICC, brings together the ministers in charge of agriculture and trade/industry of the member countries. On the occasion of this 8th ministerial meeting, the work will focus on the assessment of a decade of actions and major strategic issues for the future of the cashew industry, in particular:

• The retrospective assessment of the 10 years of impact of the CICC in the service of the cashew sector;
• Updating data and expectations of member countries;
• Update on the status of ratification of the CICC Convention by States;
• Analysis of the 2025 annual report;
• The examination of the audit reports of the accounts of the CICC as at 31 December 2025;
• The progress of strategic reflections relating to the establishment of the cashew exchange;
• Analysis of strategy papers for the harmonization and regulation of the sector in member countries;
• The review and approval of the ICCC’s budgeted work plan for the years 2026 and 2027;
• The evaluation of applications for membership by new member countries.

” This 8th Council of Ministers in Abidjan is a historic and pivotal event, marking 10 years of sustained commitment to the service of our nations. In a decade, the CICC has established itself as a strategic player in the development of the sector. At a time when Member States are facing crucial economic and climate challenges, their joint efforts are focused on consolidating sectoral sovereignty, accelerating local transformation and putting in place major structuring governance instruments for a resilient, profitable and sustainable cashew industry. The synergy with SIETTA 2026 perfectly illustrates the CICC’s desire to link the strategic political vision to the industrial realities on the ground,” said Mr. André Mahoutin Tandjiékpon, Executive Secretary of the CICC.

To carry out this work and commemorate this tenth anniversary, the meeting will be structured around concerted highlights: the technical evaluation of the files by experts from member countries coupled with the involvement of Technical and Financial Partners on November 23 and 24 at the IVOTEL Hotel, the ministerial decision-making meeting marked by the handover of the presidency between Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire on November 25, 2026 at the NOOM Hotel, as well as an active participation of delegations in SIETTA 2026 activities.

This 8th Council of Ministers and the 10-year jubilee benefit from the mobilization and support of member countries as well as the involvement of technical and financial partner organizations committed to the sustainable development of the global cashew sector.

Press Contact of the CICC Executive Secretariat:

Mr. Abraham OUATTARA

abraham.ouattara@ciccashew.org