News and events
News overview
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Beijing meeting of International Commodity Bodies coming at a critical time for global commodities sector
For many countries, especially those wholly dependent on the agricultural commodity sector; the downturn in prices and volatility has been devastating. Very few of them can afford ‘stimulus’ plans to shore up their already fragile economies, given that many are not capable of navigating these turbulent economic times, while also facing critical financial and institutional constraints. MEDIA
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G-20 'Stimulus' for the commodity sector can aid economic recovery in Africa
The G-20 summit in London, must respond to reform efforts by poor countries trying cope with the global economic contagion. For the Common Fund for Commodities and its member-countries, there is now full conviction, that commodity development policy issues must be brought to the centre of the international development agenda, since policy solutions to problems facing producer countries, will contribute to response capacities of governments in Africa to rapidly address challenges imposed by the current crisis.
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Success in DPRK, after the Year of the Potato
As activities of the UN-designated Year of the Potato 2008 wind down, the potato project financed by the Common Fund in North Korea [ ARTICLE ] is making substantial gains to jump-start the commodity sector in the region, by working and providing potato farmers with improvement measures from seeds to storage infrastructure. The project, which is concluding this year, was co-ordinated by CFC partners, FAO and International Potato Center (CIP).
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CFC Projects Feature in Public Awareness Activities of the International Year of Natural Fibres 2009
Natural fibres will be in the spotlight this year, after the United Nations designated 2009, as the International Year of Natural Fibres (IYNF). At the recent launch ceremony hosted by the FAO in Rome, a promotional video on natural fibres financed by the Common Fund for Commodities was released to the media and to the public.
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CFC-IPS Commodity Advocacy Media Partnership
The Common Fund and the Rome-based Inter Press Service, an international news agency specialising in development news coverage and dissemination recently completed a limited phase media partnership. The impetus for the collaboration started due to desire by IPS to support the communications objectives of the Global Initiative on Commodities , the ongoing partnership between CFC, UNDP, ACP Group of States and UNCTAD aiming to re-launch the commodities agenda and to identify an international strategy for commodity development policy advocacy.
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Governors Call on the Fund to Assess Future Mandate
With the global financial crisis continuing to pose challenges for development institutions and effective partnerships to tackle poverty, food issues and shortfalls in agricultural productivity, the future and mandate of the Common Fund for Commodities, was one of the key issues of deliberation, when the Governing Council met recently in Zanzibar. [ MD-Statement ].
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Structural policy issues in agriculture and the commodity sector must be resolved to sustain global food security
Managing Director Amb. Ali Mchumo joined more than 40 government ministers, heads of international organisations and other major players in the global campaign to meet emergency food needs, reinvigorate agricultural systems and increase investment in agriculture, at the ministerial-level meeting January 26-27, chaired by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Spanish Prime Minister Rodriguez Zapatero in Madrid. In his statement (PDF), Amb. Mchumo emphasised that while there is emerging consensus regarding solutions to global food shortages and emergencies, it is imperative to address the structural issues and underlying causes in order to solve the problem once for all.
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Cotton Production Sustainability in West Africa
The aim of this project was to see how the Fund can intervene to improve the cotton supply structure and to encourage the participation of governments, trade organisations and the private sector in the area.
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Government of Tanzania to Host Annual Meeting of the Common Fund for Commodities in Zanzibar
The Governing Council meeting, which will attract international delegates from Member Countries of the Common Fund, is also part of the Fund’s advocacy and visibility program to spotlight public awareness about the local success of CFC’s initiatives and development projects in Member Countries. [ MEDIA]
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Financing for Projects Boosting Smallholder Productivity Approved by Executive Board
The Executive Board of the Common Fund for Commodities, recently approved several projects reaffirming the Fund’s continuing support for small-holder producers in the Middle East-Arab region, Asia, Latin America and Caribbean region.