The International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) Foundation officially launched its activities during a ceremony held on March 31 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Chaired by the representative of the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Dr. Blessed Okolé, the event brought together distinguished figures such as the Minister for the Promotion of Women and the Family, Ms. Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoa, as well as representatives from government agencies, cocoa and chocolate industry organizations, civil society, and cooperatives in Cameroon.
On this occasion, ICI’s Executive Director, Mr. Matthias Lange, stated in his address the organization’s commitment to making its expertise available to Cameroonian authorities. This is intended to support them in the fight against child labour and, consequently, in ensuring the sustainability of the cocoa sector.
“In accordance with its mandate, ICI would humbly like to place its expertise at the service of Cameroonian authorities and partners to support them on the path toward compliance with international standards and norms while respecting local specificities,” he said.
Continuing, he reaffirmed ICI’s commitment to being “a credible, ethical, and transparent actor.”
Welcoming the presence of the International Cocoa Initiative in Cameroon, Dr. Blessed Okolé expressed his hope that the organization would fully play its role in the country to “build a fair and sustainable cocoa sector.” Cocoa is of great importance to the country’s national economy, serving as a “source of jobs,” he said, noting that laws exist to prevent child labour in the sector.
An invitation was also extended by the Executive Secretary of the Interprofessional Council for Cocoa and Coffee (CICC), Mr. Omer Gatien Maledi, to ICI. Indeed, he expressed his desire to see the organization eradicate child labour wherever it exists. He went on to state that ICI will have everyone’s support: “Count on us, private sector operators, (...) we are here to support you,” he declared.
Expressing his gratification that Cameroon had been chosen as the third country for ICI’s operations, the Director of the National Cocoa and Coffee Office (ONCC), Mr. Michael Ndoping, noted that this constitutes “an important step toward strengthening our credibility.”
On November 7, 2025, the ICI Foundation obtained its authorization to operate in Cameroon. This achievement is the result of numerous collaborations between the Cameroonian government and the organisation. For example, ICI supported the Cameroonian government in conducting a comparative analysis of its hazardous work, leading to the publication of the official list of hazardous work in Cameroon.
