African Coffee Statistical Workshop Held in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa, July 27, 2025 (Qahwa World) — The Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority, in collaboration with the International Coffee Organization (ICO) and the Inter-African Coffee Organization (IACO), hosted a dedicated African Coffee Statistical Workshop from 26 to 27 July 2025 at the Coffee Training Center in Addis Ababa.

The primary focus of the workshop was to enhance the quality, accuracy, and timeliness of coffee-related statistics from Africa. Special emphasis was placed on submitting monthly, quarterly, and annual statistical reports — including certificates of origin — in accordance with ICO’s rules on data reporting.

High-Level Attendance and Institutional Commitment

The event brought together several senior officials and stakeholders from the coffee sector, including:

• Dr. Vanusia Nogueira, Executive Director of the International Coffee Organization (ICO)

• H.E. Ambassador Solomon Ruthega, Secretary General of the Inter-African Coffee Organization (IACO)

• H.E. Dr. Adugna Debela (PhD), Director General of the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority

During the opening ceremony, it was emphasized that this workshop aligns with the implementation of key goals under the International Coffee Agreement (ICA) 2007, as well as the 2024–2025 programme of activities of the ICO and Strategic Objective 3 (SO3) of IACO.

Coffee Statistics: A Strategic Pillar

In his opening address, Dr. Adugna Debela highlighted that accurate and relevant coffee data is essential for informed decision-making across the entire value chain — from farm to cup. He stressed that reliable statistics empower producers, roasters, exporters, retailers, and policymakers to:

• Monitor global trends

• Optimize operations

• Ensure sustainable practices

• Share knowledge and experience across borders

Dr. Debela also noted Ethiopia’s record-high coffee export volumes and foreign currency earnings in recent years. He attributed this achievement to strong cooperation among stakeholders — including support from organizations such as UNIDO, the ICO, and various governmental and non-governmental partners.

Voices from IACO and ICO

Ambassador Solomon Ruthega reaffirmed IACO’s commitment to building stronger African institutional capacity to generate high-quality, standardized coffee data. He emphasized that such data will form the backbone of effective policy decisions, investment strategies, and regional trade frameworks across the African continent.

He also noted that the workshop would directly support IACO’s 2025 work programme by:

• Increasing market transparency

• Advancing continental data harmonization

• Strengthening IACO’s role as the leading African authority on coffee statistics

Dr. Vanusia Nogueira, Executive Director of the ICO, added that the goal of the workshop is to foster cross-country collaboration and to openly discuss shared challenges in the African coffee sector — particularly in the areas of data collection, consistency, and usage.

“Information is not just useful — it is strategic. Reliable data is what drives smart decisions,” she stated.