A consortium comprising Oxfam, Third World Network-Africa (TWN-Africa), SOMO, and the Huairou Commission is convening in Ghana to devise strategies aimed at tackling inequalities in the cocoa, mining, and salt sectors. The overarching goal is to ensure decent income for individuals involved in the value chain, particularly those at the grassroots level.
The four-day “fair for all” conference seeks to bolster civil society efforts in addressing these inequalities by collaborating with the private sector, advocating for responsible financial systems, enhancing governmental regulation, and advocating for fiscal and trade reforms. Participating countries include Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, South Africa, Kenya, and Mozambique, with support from Brazil, Italy, Palestine, and the Netherlands.
Mr. Francis Agbere, Just Economy Lead at Oxfam Ghana, highlighted the consortium's priority to dismantle existing value chain systems that disadvantage the poor. He emphasized the need to reorganize cocoa, mining, and salt value chains to ensure that local communities benefit more from the resources they depend on for their livelihoods.
The approach involves engaging with corporate entities to secure fair prices for farmers and creating policy frameworks that hold multinational entities accountable to respect human rights and fair business practices.
Mr. Sylvester Bagooro, Programme Officer at Third World Network-Africa, underscored the need for Africa to harness its abundant resources for the benefit of its people. He emphasized the importance of empowering citizens and organizations to capture more value from these resources, particularly through value addition and addressing systemic challenges that hinder the progress of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the poor.
The fair for all initiative is part of the global Power of Voices program with a budget of 71 million euros, slated for implementation between January 2021 and December 2025. The initiative aims to foster inclusive economic development and empower marginalized communities worldwide.