The Home of Coffee Arabica will be hosting the 20th AFCA Conference and Exhibition.
Ethiopia will host the 20th African Fine Coffees Conference and Exhibition and the first African Coffee Week from February 5th to 9th, 2024, in Addis Ababa. This was learned at a press release event held on September 14, 2023, at the Sheraton Addis Ababa. The conference and African Coffee Week are organized by the joint effort of four organizations: the African Fine Coffee Association (AFCA), the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA), the Inter-Africa Coffee Organization (IACO), and the Robusta Coffee Agency of Africa and Madagascar (ACRAM).
In the press release, Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority Deputy Director-General Shafi Umer said coffee is an important sector for Ethiopia's economy as the country is the birthplace of Arabica coffee, and close to 20 million people engage with it.
The CEO of the African Fine Coffee Association (AFCA), Gilbert Gatali, said that the conference is a great opportunity for the African coffee sector to convene under one roof and hold important dialogues. Similarly, the Secretary General of the Inter African Coffee Organization (IACO), Solomon Rutega, said this is an opportunity for the wider African coffee-producing countries to establish a long-term partnership between the private and public sectors.
The Arabica nation will be hosting the event under the theme "Specialty Coffee at Origin" for the fourth time, following 2007, 2011, and 2017. The annual conference will bring together around 2,000 regional and international coffee roasters, traders, producers, buyers, and professionals under one roof to discuss policies, sustainability, access to finance, coffee competitions, and other actions. It is also expected that delegations from over 86 countries and well-renowned coffee companies will have the opportunity to taste Ethiopian coffee, undertake field visits, and take a tour of Ethiopia.
Founded in July 2000, the African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA) is a regional, non-profit, non-political, member-driven association representing coffee sectors in 11 member countries.
