African Regional Commission (ARC)

The African Regional Commission (ARC) was established under the World Banana Forum (WBF) framework following decisions from the June 2022 Steering Committee meeting.

ARC's mission is to unite key players in Africa's banana supply chains to facilitate dialogue and address regional industry challenges. This initiative is increasingly important due to the growing emphasis on shared responsibility and upcoming EU due diligence legislation impacting the African banana sector.

Objectives

  1. Serve as a neutral platform for inclusive dialogue and collaboration among African banana industry stakeholders, including governments, producers, exporters, trade unions, civil society, importers, and retailers
  2. Promote information sharing and understanding of regional issues, engaging WBF members, governments, and industry stakeholders
  3. Analyze evolving regulations, such as the EU’s Green Deal, Farm-to-Fork Strategy, and carbon border adjustment mechanism, to develop sustainable solutions for the African banana industry
  4. Support regional governments in addressing sustainability challenges in the banana sector.
  5. Establish pathways for corporate sustainability and fair cost distribution across the supply chain.
  6. Identify regulation mechanisms to address banana price declines, considering oversupply and seasonal lows.
  7. Enhance labor conditions in the banana industry, ensuring decent work for all workers.

Activities

In response to the many challenges facing the African banana industry, the ARC held its first webinar, titled Requirements and Responsibilities of Producers, Distributors, Certifiers, Trade Unions and Civil Society regarding Shared Responsibility and Due Diligence in the African Banana Industry, in October 2022. The webinar aimed to identify key sector issues, as well as highlight steps being taken by regional and global stakeholders to address them.

All WBF members are invited to participate in the Commission's activities, coordinated by regional stakeholders. To join the ARC, please contact Victor Prada at [email protected] or the WBF Secretariat at [email protected].