Combatting child labour in cocoa production: US Customs and Côte d’Ivoire to cooperate

Mrs Dominique Ouattara, First Lady and Chairman of the National Oversight Committee to Combat the Worst Forms of Child Labour has a very busy schedule in Washington.

On Tuesday 17^th September 2019, the Ivorian delegation had an important working session with American customs in one of the conference rooms of the Four Seasons. In a brief presentation, the Chairman of the CNS explained progress made by Côte d’Ivoire to combat child labour.  Mrs Brenda Smith, Head of International Affairs at American Customs and her delegation of eight executives, were impressed by the work the National Oversight Committee to Combat Trafficking, Exploitation and Child Labour has accomplished and congratulated Ms. Ouattara on her personal commitment.

For her part, the Secretary General of the Ivorian Presidency, Minister Achi Patrick, said that the government of Côte d’Ivoire is determined to take measures to tackle the issue and to protect classified forests. In a good atmosphere, the CNS Chairman and the Head of International Affairs of the US Customs laid the foundations for collaboration between Côte d’Ivoire and US Customs. As a first sign of the good intentions of both parties, a US customs delegation will be on an inspection mission next December in Abidjan and other cocoa-producing countries.

Meetings with political, administrative and civil society figures will continue until the end of the mission, on 20^th September.