ITC works with coffee growers and processors in West Africa, helping them reach new markets and grow their operations. In Ghana, coffee producer Asili Coffee is spearheading collective action to boost national coffee production and consumption.

In the rolling hills of the Akuapem Ridge in Ghana, a quiet revolution is taking place, and coffee is at the heart of it.

John Nana Addo Francois, the visionary behind Asili Coffee, is spearheading a movement that promises to reshape rural development and socio-economic change in the region. Through his efforts, Asili Coffee is creating opportunities for farmers and fostering a culture of coffee drinking in Ghana, a country better known for its cocoa.

John is part of a broader initiative under the ACP Business-Friendly programme, funded by the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) States. Implemented by the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) Alliances for Action, this initiative aims to bolster Ghana’s coffee production and consumption, with Akuapem Ridge at the centre of this vision.

The area has the potential to become Ghana’s coffee hub, with ideal conditions for large-scale production. Former President John Kufuor, a strong proponent of coffee farming, believes that success here could mirror the country’s cocoa success, offering farmers new economic opportunities and building a thriving value chain.

Establishing a Ghanaian hub for coffee farmers

One key project driving this vision forward is the Pilot Coffee Incubator Programme, launched in Akropong in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

The incubator, spearheaded by Asili Coffee Purveyors Limited, aims to make growing coffee less risky while making it easier for young people to enter the industry. The programme is transforming coffee production in Akuapem, supported by key partners such as Ghana’s Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), the German development agency GIZ, and ITC’s Alliances for Action.

By offering free seedlings, training, and access to a ready market, the initiative ensures farmers have the tools and knowledge to succeed.

‘The incubator is important because it creates an inclusive pathway for Ghana to be recognized as a coffee-producing country. But it won’t happen overnight. This is a community project with a 10-20 year timeline,’ says John.

Akuapem is well-positioned for such a transformation. With over 100,000 tenable acres of land and a population of 250,000 – 65% of which are youth – the region offers a strong labour force that can drive large-scale production.

If fully realized, the economic potential is staggering. Each acre of land could generate $1,000 annually, translating to $100 million in income for the area. The programme’s early success is already visible, with the first cohort of farmers, who joined in 2019, now selling their yields to Asili Coffee.

Beyond production, the incubator serves as a one-stop shop for farmers, providing seedlings, training, and research and development, while also acting as an off-take point for their yields. John emphasizes the importance of covering more acreage in coffee and promoting local consumption to create a sustainable coffee culture in Ghana.

A collaborative effort for long-term change

The success of the Akuapem coffee initiative depends on collaboration. Key partners such as ITC and the Ghana Cocoa Board provide crucial support in training, capacity building, and quality control. GIZ’s Agribizz contract farming agreement ensures fair pricing and guaranteed buyers for farmers, providing stability and security for those entering the coffee industry.

John is optimistic about the future of coffee in Ghana. ‘We need to learn how to consume our own produce. This allows us to dictate our destiny when it comes to raw materials,’ he says.

The Coffee Consumption Initiative, part of the broader effort to boost domestic coffee consumption, is supported by a $25,000 grant from the Inter-African Coffee Organization. This funding will help establish model coffee shops across the country, raising awareness of Ghanaian coffee and creating new jobs for young people.

Asili Coffee is now poised to drive both local production and consumption, creating lasting change for the Akuapem region and beyond.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Trade Centre.

The World Bank, Qatar, and the global foundation Education Above All have announced a partnership focused on expanding quality access to education worldwide. Successive global challenges in recent years have led to an increase in out-of-school children and youth and a massive global learning deficit. Countries are urgently seeking solutions and the needed finance to reverse current education trends. The agreements mark a key step in driving forward new partnerships that can expand impact for the global education agenda.

The World Bank will support Qatar and Education Above All in the development of new, innovative financial tools including the design of potential education investment swaps that could transform low- and middle-income countries’ debt into education results. This approach would drive innovative solutions to the global learning crisis while addressing the debt burden many low and middle-income countries face.

The World Bank and Education Above All will also work together on the design and implementation of co-financed programs to keep children in school and reduce the staggering 70% estimated global post-COVID learning poverty rate. The priorities will be to expand access to quality education for children and youth in developing countries and help create new jobs for young people across the Middle East and North Africa region.

“The rewards of education are vast for each person throughout their lifetime and for entire societies for generations to come,” says Mamta Murthi, Vice President, People Vice Presidency, World Bank. “We are delighted to be partnering with State of Qatar and Education Above All Foundation to build the human capital of young people worldwide, especially the most vulnerable, to improve their economic opportunities, and contribute to ending poverty on a livable planet.”

“The signed agreement is part of Qatar’s ongoing initiatives to reinforce its commitment to multilateral work with the goal of contributing to the development of financial sustainability and enhancing joint cooperation,” said Dr. Saud Abdulla Al-Attiyah, Qatar’s Deputy Undersecretary for Economic Affairs. “This reflects Qatar’s deep interest in education as a fundamental pillar for achieving sustainable development.”

“Innovative financing is key for sustainable development, especially for education It has reduced the burden for low- and middle-income countries and given space for more funding to be allocated locally and invested in education,” said Fahad Sulaiti, CEO of Education Above All Foundation. “We are leveraging strong partnerships to drive innovative solutions that will transform the lives of communities and millions of children around the world.”

The World Bank, Qatar, and Education Above All Foundation partnership reflects the strategic imperative of investing in quality access to education and of reimagining partnerships that are essential in realizing the ambition of the World Bank’s new development playbook. The World Bank Group is the largest financier of education in the developing world, working in 90 countries and committed to helping them reach SDG4: access to inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The World Bank Group.

The Biden administration’s decision to waive all human rights conditions on military assistance to Egypt disregards the country’s long-running human rights crisis and the ongoing repression that undermines Egyptians’ political and economic rights, Human Rights Watch said today. 

The Biden administration has partially withheld military assistance from Egypt for the past three years based on human rights concerns, which US appropriations legislation requires them to consider. This is the first year the entire conditioned amount will be granted.

“Rights protections for the Egyptian people are the point of these Congressional conditions,” said Sarah Yager, Washington director at Human Rights Watch. “The decision to roll through them might seem to serve a short-term gain but only adds to impunity for the Egyptian government as it continues its assault on its own population.”

Currently, the US government gives Egypt $1.3 billion annually in Foreign Military Financing. For the current fiscal year, $320 million of this sum is conditioned on Egypt meeting certain human rights benchmarks or criteria. The US government makes an annual human rights assessment, and $225 million can be withheld if the government has not taken “sustained and effective” steps to improve a range of rights and freedoms, such as protecting freedom of expression and association, and strengthening the rule of law. 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken waived these conditions due to the “US national security interest,” a State Department spokesperson said. The spokesperson said that this decision was important to both “advancing regional peace” and in recognition of Egypt’s contributions to various US national security priorities, including “to finalize a ceasefire agreement for Gaza, bring the hostages home, and surge humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in need.”  

Another $95 million of aid is specifically tied to demonstrating progress on the release of political prisoners. The Biden administration determined that Egypt has made sufficient progress to grant these funds, the spokesperson said. Human Rights Watch calls into serious question this assessment given that thousands of prisoners are being arbitrarily detained on political grounds. US Senators Chris Coons and Chris Murphy share those concerns, writing in a joint statement that the Egyptian government has not made “clear and consistent progress” as required by the law.

Indeed, the human rights situation in Egypt is dire. In May 2024, a prominent opposition leader was imprisoned for trying to challenge President Sisi in the December 2023 elections. In recent weeks, Egyptian authorities arbitrarily detained and referred for prosecution at least four critics of the government for exercising their freedom of expression. 

In waiving rights conditions put in place by Congress, the Biden government is placing short-term political considerations above longstanding human rights concerns, Human Rights Watch said. It is sending a message that these abuses will be tolerated under the right conditions. This approach has proven to be counterproductive. The rampant impunity for the military and security forces in Egypt and Israel, the two largest recipients of US military aid, has fueled additional abuses, war crimes, and most likely crimes against humanity.  

“Once again, the US government is sending security assistance to a major rights abusing government despite conditions that are supposed to prevent it from doing so,” Yager said. “Progress on human rights requires political will and we’re just not seeing it here.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).

The Coca-Cola Company in Africa (www.Coca-ColaCompany.com) and its bottling partners Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA), Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company (ECCBC) and Coca-Cola HBC announced a nearly USD 25 million investment to help address critical water-related challenges in local communities in 20 African countries, starting this year through 2030. The work will be led by Global Water Challenge (GWC) and implemented by a consortium of partners, including The Nature Conservancy (TNC), The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

The effort, called ‘The Coca-Cola System’s Africa Water Stewardship Initiative’, was introduced in Cape Town, South Africa, in presence of executives from the Coca-Cola system in Africa and NGO partners. During the event, Karyn Harrington, Vice President of Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability at The Coca-Cola Company’s Africa Operating Unit indicated “Water is a priority for The Coca-Cola Company and its local bottling partners because it is essential to life, the communities we serve and our beverages. As we face increasing water insecurity worldwide, with demand outstripping supply in many regions such as Africa, Coca-Cola is taking steps to help accelerate efforts to address water stress, protect local water resources, and build community climate resilience. Our 2030 Water Security Strategy focuses on helping enhance water security where we operate, source ingredients, and touch lives.”

“One in three Africans face water insecurity. The Global Water Challenge and ‘The Coca-Cola System’s Africa Water Stewardship Initiative’ partner coalition will seek to improve water security for millions across the African continent, helping advance community health and resilience through abundant, clean water. We applaud Coca-Cola’s continued leadership on African water security” said Monica Ellis, CEO of GWC.

‘The Coca-Cola System’s Africa Water Stewardship Initiative’ aims to help protect and enhance the health of important watersheds and to help improve access to water and sanitation services in local communities. We will have projects in Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Comoros, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mayotte, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  

“CCBA has a responsibility to help those who face water scarcity and to help protect local water resources where we operate, especially in places with the biggest challenges. We are proud to partner with The Coca-Cola Company on this project,” says Layla Jeevanantham, Chief Public Affairs, Communication and Sustainability Officer at CCBA.

“We are proud to partner with The Coca-Cola Company and fellow bottlers on this critical initiative to help tackle water challenges across Africa. By working together, we can leverage the expertise of our partners and the knowledge of local communities to help create sustainable solutions that enhance water access and safeguard vital water resources,” said Sonia Ventosa, Public Affairs, Communications&Sustainability Manager at ECCBC.

“Coca-Cola HBC has been part of African communities for more than 70 years, and sustainability is an important part of how we operate. We’re very happy to see this new water initiative come to life and to support the system’s water stewardship efforts,” said Marcel Martin, Chief Corporate Affairs&Sustainability Officer, Coca-Cola HBC.

Recognizing that partnerships are critical to support this work, the company and its bottlers are collaborating with governments, businesses, and civil society organizations to design and implement strategic interventions. In addition to supporting the company’s water strategy, this effort also aims to contribute to advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6, which focuses on ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation. 

This water initiative will build upon The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF)’s Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN), a groundbreaking collaboration with key partners and co-funders which helped improve access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene for 6 million people across African countries between 2009 and 2019. Through 120 projects, the initiative positively impacted homes, schools and healthcare clinics in more than 4,000 communities.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Coca-Cola.

Contacts: 
Amel Benchikh El Houcine 
abenchikh@coca-cola.com

About The Coca-Cola Company:
The Coca‑Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca‑Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our water, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We are constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.Coca-ColaCompany.com and follow us on Instagram (http://apo-opa.co/3Ttw0hL), Facebook (http://apo-opa.co/3ToqwVu) and LinkedIn (http://apo-opa.co/4db5D6V).

 Forward-Looking Statements:
This update may contain statements, estimates or projections that constitute “forwardlooking statements” as defined under U.S. federal securities laws. Generally, the words “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “project,” “will” and similar expressions identify forwardlooking statements, which generally are not historical in nature. Statements about our sustainability goals, aspirations and anticipated progress also constitute “forwardlooking statements.” Forwardlooking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause The CocaCola Company’s actual results to differ materially from its historical experience and our present expectations or projections. These risks include, but are not limited to, evolving sustainability regulatory requirements and expectations, including evolving processes, controls and methodologies for identifying, measuring, assuring and reporting sustainability metrics and data, which could result in significant revisions to our previously reported data; increasing concerns about the environmental impact of plastic bottles and other packaging materials; water scarcity and poor quality; increased demand for food products, decreased agricultural productivity and increased regulation of ingredient sourcing due diligence; climate change and legal or regulatory responses thereto; adverse weather conditions; unfavorable economic and geopolitical conditions; disruption of our supply chain, including increased commodity, raw material, packaging, energy, transportation and other input costs; an inability to successfully integrate and manage our acquired businesses, brands or bottling operations or an inability to realize a significant portion of the anticipated benefits of our joint ventures or strategic relationships; and other risks discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), including our Annual Report on Form 10K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and our subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10Q, which filings are available through the SEC’s website. You should not place undue reliance on forwardlooking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward looking statements.