Ivory Coast is facing a concerning rise in cocoa smuggling, with 50,000 tons of cocoa beans illegally exported to Guinea in the last quarter of 2024. The smuggling is driven by the price difference between the international market, where cocoa sells for $12,000 per ton, and the price guaranteed in Ivory Coast. Exporters and producers have observed a growing trend, especially in the western part of the country around Danané, where trucks operate without control. Reports indicate that up to 8,400 tons were lost in a single day on December 24. This smuggling has serious economic consequences, reducing state revenues and potentially affecting public services such as dispensaries and rural schools. The Ivory Coast Cocoa Council is urging operators to collaborate with authorities to combat the smuggling.
General News
UN Welcomes Creation of Special Court for Gambia to Prosecute Crimes Under Jammeh
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Special Rapporteur Bernard Duhaime has expressed support for the establishment of a
Special Tribunal in The Gambia to prosecute crimes committed between July 1994 and January 2017, during Yahya Jammeh's presidency. The tribunal will address gross human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and rape, following recommendations by The Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission. Duhaime praised the creation of the hybrid court, noting it as a historic step toward justice, accountability, and ending impunity. He also urged the Gambia government to prioritize reparations, memorialization, and other non-judicial measures for national reconciliation and lasting peace.
UCID Calls for Renewed Commitment to Consolidate Democracy in Cape Verde
João Santos Luís, a representative of the Independent and Democratic Union of Cape Verde (UCID), emphasized the need for a "renewed commitment" to fully consolidate democracy in the country. Speaking at the solemn session for Freedom and Democracy Day on January 13, he highlighted that democracy requires continuous efforts in areas such as transparency, social justice, combating corruption, civic education, and reducing inequalities.
He stressed the importance of political stability but warned that such stability should not be compromised by unnecessary institutional conflicts or weakened
political dialogue. Santos Luís also pointed out the challenges of low civic participation, growing electoral abstention, and socioeconomic inequality between islands. Despite progress in reforms to combat corruption, he acknowledged ongoing issues like bribery and nepotism, urging effective public policies to address these problems. He concluded by advocating for greater party diversity to enrich the nation’s democracy.
Cape Verde's Prime Minister Stresses the Need to Strengthen Democracy and Institutions
Cape Verde's Prime Minister, Ulisses Correia e Silva, emphasized the importance of protecting and nurturing democracy during a speech marking Freedom and Democracy Day in Praia. He warned that democracy is not an "eternal gain" but a continual process that requires attention.
He acknowledged challenges like populism, extremism, and misinformation as threats to democratic institutions and stressed the need for political convergence to tackle key issues, including the renewal of important commissions dependent on political consensus. The Prime Minister also highlighted the necessity of long-term reforms in justice, education, and healthcare to ensure institutional sustainability.
Additionally, Correia e Silva addressed the role of media in combating disinformation and the negative impacts of social media and Artificial Intelligence
(AI). He assured that there were no conflicts between the government and the presidency, reaffirming their commitment to strengthen institutions and promote
national stability.