The 20th African Fine Coffee Conference and Exhibition, as well as the first African Coffee Week 2024 have kicked off in Addis Ababa. The four-day event is jointly organised by three African coffee producing organisations.

The annual event brings together around two thousand regional and international coffee roasters, traders, producers, buyers and experts. They discuss the development of the industry, access to finance and other issues.

Opening the conference, Girma Amente, Chairman of the Inter-African Coffee Organisation (IACO) and Ethiopian Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said the event is a crucial platform for sharing knowledge and experiences.

Recognising the role of coffee in strengthening the economy, Girma said the government sees the production of the product as one of the valuable engines of growth. The authorities intend to further support the sector.

In addition, major reforms have been undertaken to address the challenges observed in the sector both globally and locally, he said.

This is the fourth time Ethiopia is hosting the event, as the East African country is one of the main coffee producers on the continent. This is reported by
ENA.

Photo:
IStock