Consider cocoa pricing in your legislation- COCOBOD Chief tells EU

in place, the EU must also ensure that they meet their end of the bargain by paying the right prices for cocoa. He was grateful to the EU for various support and their Sustainable Cocoa Initiative to enhance the sustainability of cocoa production and trade.

Head of Cooperation, EU delegation to Ghana, Massimo Nina, who led the team, said the EU is committed to building stronger relations with COCOBOD in its e orts at ensuring traceability and

He acknowledged the concerns raised, admitting, that the current pricing framework does not match the living income of cocoa farmers in the two leading producing countries.

According to him, there is the need for the European Union to take steps to ensure that cocoa farmers income and livelihoods are improved to correspond with their inputs in cocoa production.

According to him, the legislation in its current form cannot sustain the industry and improve incomes of cocoa farmers.

Mr. Boahen Aidoo made these comments when he met with a four-member delegation from the European Union to among others discuss ongoing conversations on sustainability, traceability and child labour withn the sector.

The EU is the world's largest importer of cocoa, accounting for 60% of world imports. Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Cam- mitted to maintaining its status as the best producer of premium quality cocoa in the world, in addition to ensuring that cocoa cultivation is devoid of deforestation and use of services of children in cocoa farms and urged the EU to ful l its part of the social contract.

The COCOBOD chief mentioned that, Ghana has worked to provide a common ground for sustainability.

“Although deforestation is a huge challenge, we must consider that cocoa is the only crop which has preserved Ghana’s forest and supported introduced to mitigate poverty among cocoa farmers in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana and it is therefore imperative that particular attention is paid to the cocoa farmer who forms the basis for all the discussions. The Chief Executive added that the Board has introduced the Cocoa Management System (CMS) to ensure cocoa traceability and sustainability.

According to him, with all these interventions

He commended the Ghana and Cote d’ Ivoire for their initiative to introduce the LID to mitigate the plight of cocoa farmers.

Mr. Massimo Nina further added that the Union would work closely with collaborators to ensure equitable pricing for cocoa farmers. “I must say your processes towards ensuring sustainability, traceability and elimination of child labour within the sector are on a good track”, he added.

The EU has over the years committed to a set of concrete time-bound actions to improve the sustainability of the cocoa supply chain in West Africa, to halt deforestation and child labour, and improve the living income of farmers.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, at the Kremlin on his arrival in Moscow on Monday. When Xi reached the Kremlin, he was greeted by the Kremlin Commandant at the alighting point. Putin warmly shook hands and took photos with Xi. The two presidents had an in-depth and candid exchange on China-Russia relations and issues of mutual interest.

Xi stressed that there is a profound historical logic for China-Russia relationship to reach where it is today. China and Russia are each other's biggest neighbor and comprehensive strategic partner of coordination. Both countries see their relationship as a high priority in their overall diplomacy and policy on external a airs.

China always upholds an indepenStory continues from page 13 dent foreign policy. To consolidate and develop well China-Russia relations is a strategic choice China has made on the basis of its own fundamental interests and the prevailing trends of the world, said Xi.

Story continued from page 12 boost their respective national development and rejuvenation, and be a bulwark for world peace and stability.

China is rm in keeping to the general direction of strengthening strategic coordination with Russia, Xi said, adding that both China and Russia are committed to realizing national development and rejuvenation, support world multi-polarity and work for greater democracy in international relations.

Xi said the two countries should further deepen practical cooperation in various elds and strengthen coordination and collaboration on multilateral platforms such as the UN to

Putin extended a warm welcome to Xi for his state visit to Russia and once again warmly congratulated him on his reelection as Chinese president.

With concerted e orts by both sides, Russia-China relations in recent years have delivered fruitful results in various areas, Putin said, adding that Russia stands ready to continue to deepen bilateral practical cooperation, step up communication and collaboration in international a airs, and promote world multi-polarity and greater democracy in international relations.

The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on the Ukraine issue.

Xi stressed that, on the Ukraine issue, voices for peace and rationality are building. Most countries support easing tensions, stand for peace talks, and are against adding fuel to the re. A review of history shows that con icts in the end have to be settled through dialogue and negotiation. China released a document on its position on the Ukraine crisis, advocating the political settlement of the crisis and rejecting the Cold War mentality and unilateral sanctions, said Xi. China believes that the more di culties there are, the greater the need to keep space for peace. The more acute the problem is, the more important it is not to give up e orts for dialogue.

China will continue to play a constructive role in promoting the political settlement of the Ukraine issue, said Xi.

For his part, Putin said that Russia appreciates China for consistently upholding an impartial, objective, and balanced position and standing for fairness and justice on major international issues. Russia has carefully studied China's position paper on the political settlement of the Ukraine issue and is open to talks for peace. Russia welcomes China to play a constructive role in this regard.

The two presidents said that they look forward to formal talks on the next day to draw up a new blueprint for China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the years to come.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency