Nine African nations have signed memoranda of understanding to launch a continent-wide program aimed at developing the coffee value chain and increasing producer countries' control over marketing and revenue. The agreements were formalized in Marrakech, Morocco, in May during a forum co-organized by the African Coffee Hub (ACH), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The program focuses on improving post-harvest management, quality control, traceability, logistics, and direct market access. The initial signatories include the producing countries of Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Madagascar, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Uganda, with Morocco participating as a key logistics partner. The initiative's stated goal is to shift Africa from being a passive supplier of raw coffee beans to an active manager of its own commodity value chain.
This strategic shift addresses a long-standing economic imbalance in the coffee trade. While Africa accounts for about 15% of the world's coffee production, the continent reportedly receives less than 10% of the final retail value, as an estimated 80% of its coffee is exported as unprocessed green beans. The new framework will leverage the African Coffee Hub, a logistics and trade platform at Morocco's Tanger Med port, to aggregate, grade, and directly export African coffees, aiming to retain more value within the continent.