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In Marrakech, Morocco, Guinea participated in the Regional Forum on the Development of the Coffee Value Chain in Africa, held on May 5 and 6, 2026. This significant event was organized by the African Coffee Hub in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Moroccan authorities. The forum served as a platform for discussing critical strategies aimed at enhancing the coffee sector across the continent.
Representing Guinea at this continental meeting was Madam Sylla Maniamba Kandé, the Director General of the Guinean Agency for Technical Cooperation (AGCT). Her participation was mandated by Ismaël Nabé, the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation. The forum focused on the transformation and valorization of African coffee, aligning with Guinea's broader agricultural ambitions and its commitment to the Simandou 2040 program, which aims to bolster local content development across the continent.
During her address, Madam Kandé emphasized that Guinea seized this opportunity to advocate for a vision that prioritizes agriculture as a fundamental pillar of the country's structural transformation, alongside critical sectors such as infrastructure, energy, human capital, and governance. She highlighted the significant role of agriculture in diversifying the national economy, enhancing food security, creating jobs, and promoting territorial development.
Furthermore, she pointed out the strategic potential of the coffee sector, describing it as a high-value segment capable of enabling Guinea to engage competitively within regional and international value chains. Among the key outcomes of the forum was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the AGCT and the African Coffee Hub, which took place alongside the deliberations of the forum.
Madam Kandé noted that Guinea was the first country to sign this agreement, which she termed a "strategic immediate lever" for the structuring of the coffee sector, facilitating technical expertise transfer, access to international markets, and mobilization of targeted investments. The report also mentioned several bilateral meetings and technical sessions that successfully identified concrete financing opportunities for agricultural projects related to the Simandou 2040 program.
Moreover, the AGCT Director General indicated that advanced discussions were underway with various technical and financial partners concerning impactful initiatives for agricultural development. In her recommendations, Madam Kandé called for the acceleration of the operationalization of the partnership with the African Coffee Hub, the structuring of a national coffee sector development program, and the strengthening of inter-institutional coordination to maximize the benefits of the commitments made in Marrakech.
Finally, she concluded that Guinea's participation has solidified its strategic positioning on agricultural transformation issues and opened new avenues for regional economic cooperation.
As reported by mediaguinee.com.
