This 5th edition of the World Cocoa Conference will be taking place on 21-24 April 2024 at the Brussels Convention Centre –Square1 – in Brussels, Belgium

The conference will focus on discussing measures leading to an equitable distribution of value along the cocoa supply chain, to ensure a better living income for farmers, under the theme: “Paying more for a Sustainable Cocoa”.

The event will be organized over a four-day period to cover plenary and breakout sessions.

Alongside the regular program the Global Village, a dynamic exhibition, will offer exhibition booths, private meeting spaces, silent sessions, and a number of peripheral events, providing the perfect space for learning, networking and interacting with the global cocoa community.

Sunday, 21 April 2024

14:00

WCC5 Conference Registration Opens 

17:00

Official Inauguration of the Exhibition 

17:30

Welcome Cocktail Reception Sponsored by Molenbergnatie

Two side events will be organized 14:00 – 16:30 at The Square

Monday, 22 April 2024

07:30

WCC5 Conference Registration continues

PLENARY SESSION

09:00

Opening of the Conference 

Introduction by the Facilitator: Leanne de Bassompierre

Official Opening of the Conference

  • Opening Speech by Her Majesty the Queen

Welcome addresses and speeches

  • Welcome address by the Prime Minister
  • Welcome address by EU Commissioner
  • Welcome address by VIPs from Asia, Latin America and Africa
  • Statement by the Platinum Sponsor Mars Wrigley

 

10:15

Cocoa Break

11:00

Presentation by the Belgian Minister for Development Cooperation,

11:45

Presentation by the Executive Director, ICCO, of the main theme of the Conference,

12:15

Conference programme outlined by the Facilitator: Leanne de Bassompierre

12:30

Lunch Break and Press Conference

14:00

Guest Speaker 1 – Keynote Presentation 

14:30

Panel 1: The quest for the living income of smallholder farmers:
why are we stuck and how can we fix it?

16:00

Cocoa Break

16:30

The EU Alliance for a Sustainable Cocoa  

Keynote speakers from the European Commission

18:00

Key highlights and summary of the day by the Facilitator: Leanne de Bassompierre

18:30

End of the day

Tuesday, 23 April 2024

BREAKOUT SESSION

Time Slot TRACK 1 TRACK 2 TRACK 3
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MARKET DEVELOPMENT GOVERNANCE, MANAGEMENT AND THE FUNCTIONING OF MARKETS
Moderator 1: Simran Sethi Moderator 2: Tedd George Moderator 3: Viwanou Gnassounou
09:00 Panel 2: Farmer Income and Social Responsibility in cocoa farming Panel 6: Prospects for the Asian cocoa markets Panel 10: Cocoa policies and regulations
10:00 Q&A Q&A Q&A
10:30 Cocoa Break Cocoa Break Cocoa Break
11:00 Panel 3:  The true cost of cocoa  Panel 7:  Sensorial and nutraceutical quality attributes  Panel 11:  Supply management
12:00 Q&A Q&A Q&A
12:30 Lunch Break Lunch Break Lunch Break
14:30 Panel 4:  Strengthening Global Partnerships Panel 8:  Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Panel 12:  Commodity Exchange 
15:30 Q&A Q&A Q&A
16:00 Panel 5: The role of women in cocoa community Panel 9:  Cocoa By-products  Panel 13: Farmer Representativeness 
17:00 Q&A Q&A Q&A
17:30 Wrap-up and closing remarks by the Moderator Wrap-up and closing remarks by the Moderator Wrap-up and closing remarks by the Moderator
19:00 GALA DINNER GALA DINNER GALA DINNER

Wednesday, 24 April 2024

PLENARY SESSION:

WCC5 BRUSSELS DECLARATION

09:00

The Quest for Sustainability: Challenges and Prospects
Guest Speaker 2

09:30

The Global Cocoa Agenda: A Roadmap or A Dead End? 
By the authors of the Cocoa Barometer.

10:00

Q&A

10:15

Reports by the 3 Panel Moderators 

11:00

Cocoa Break

11:30

Wrap-up by the Facilitator with an interactive panel 

12:30

WCC5 Brussels Declaration (the Executive Director of the ICCO will read out the Brussels Declaration and will deliver concluding remarks)

12:50

Official closing of the conference to be followed by a press conference.

13:00

Lunch Break

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