Indeed, in the report entitled "In the land of cocoa: how to transform Côte d'Ivoire", published on July 11, 2019, the World Bank estimates that cocoa producers lived in total misery while the brown bean, the fruit of their work constituted a real economic weight. This inequitable redistribution of wealth by the Ivorian authorities therefore increases poverty in the country.

Threat of embargo on Ivorian cocoa in the United States

In correspondence published by the 7info.ci website, Democratic Senators Ron Wyden of Oregon and Sherrod Brown of Ohio wrote on July 16, 2019 to the United States Department of Homeland Security (Dhs) the following in order to enforce the laws prohibiting imports of cocoa resulting from child labor:

"We are writing to express our continuing concern that imports of cocoa containing forced labor, including forced child labor, continue to enter the United States."

Côte d'Ivoire, the world's largest exporter of cocoa with 45% of cocoa bean production, could be impacted if this threat is carried out.

Taking advantage of their visit to Abidjan, Ms. Gwendolynnes Moore, Deputy for the State of Wisconsin and Mr. Dwight Evans, Deputy for the State of Pennsylvania, wished through this meeting with the First Lady of Côte d'Ivoire, moreover President of the CNS (National Monitoring Committee for Actions to Combat Trafficking, Exploitation and Child Labour), understand the actions carried out by the country in the context of the fight against Child Labour.

During the exchanges, Mrs. Dominique Ouattara presented the actions undertaken by Côte d'Ivoire to eradicate child labor to her guests. In particular, the creation of the CNS (National Committee for monitoring actions against child trafficking, exploitation and labor) and the CIM (Interministerial Committee for the fight against child trafficking, exploitation and labor, CIM ).

She noted that these two committees, in collaboration with partners, have developed and implemented 3 National Action Plans to combat child labour.

The first from 2012 to 2014, the second from 2015 to 2017 and a third action plan 2019-2021, which has just been adopted, with the ambition of tackling the root causes of this phenomenon, namely poverty.

"A budget of 132 million US dollars will be mobilized for its effective implementation," she announced. She also made a wide range of "positive" results recorded by Côte d'Ivoire with the application of the law on compulsory schooling, the various awareness and communication campaigns on the phenomenon, and many other actions. carried out by the CNS, the CIM, but also the Children Of Africa foundation, in particular in favor of the empowerment of women with the Fafci (support fund for women in Côte d'Ivoire).

Regarding the threat of an embargo on Côte d'Ivoire, the First Lady was clear. She explained that it was unfair to damage all the efforts of the planters and a whole country for misunderstandings. She revealed that she intends to meet next September the two American senators who are calling for this sanction against Côte d'Ivoire to explain all the actions that are being taken in the context of the fight against child labor.

“I have the impression that all the efforts we make are not known and recognized enough (…) I intend to make a trip to the United States in September to explain our work, as I had already done with Senator Tom HARKIN and Deputy Eliot ENGEL” announced Mrs. Dominique Ouattara.