ACA Governing Bodies Convene in Accra for Bi-Annual Meeting

On February 26, 2015, ACA’s Executive Committee (EC) convened with the Secretariat in Accra, Ghana for the first of its bi-annual meetings of the year.  Due to the unfortunate cancellation of the 2014 World Cashew Festival & Expo, at which the EC had planned to meet, the governing body had not met for one year.  Therefore, this meeting was a vital reunion for both the EC and the Secretariat to reconnect with one another in person.  Participants at this meeting hailed from Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania, representing diverse perspectives and priorities across the African cashew industry.

These bi-annual meetings are a foundational component to maintaining transparency within the organization and to ensure that the EC’s vision is carried out through the Secretariat’s projects and activities.  At this particular meeting, key personnel within the Secretariat presented successes accomplished and challenges faced throughout the past year, soliciting feedback and suggestions from all members of the EC.  This type of dialogue is very constructive and ensures that the EC is entirely informed of the activities occurring on-the-ground and provides the opportunity for both affirmation and alteration, as necessary.

The meeting continued on February 27 and was held jointly with ACA’s Advisory Board (AB).  It is important for all of these governing bodies to convene regularly so that the priorities for the organization are clearly articulated and ideas can be shared openly.

The largest outcome of this meeting was the selection of Maputo, Mozambique to be the location of ACA’s 9th World Cashew Festival & Expo, to be held in September 2015.