The Philippine government has renewed its support for the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), reinforcing its commitment to strengthening global agricultural value chains and improving opportunities for small producers in developing economies.
In a symbolic turnover earlier this month (February 4) at the Philippine Embassy in The Hague, Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya handed over a voluntary contribution of $15,000 to CFC Managing Director Sheikh Mohammed Belal. The contribution signals Manila’s continuing engagement in shaping programs that improve production, processing, and trade of commodities across emerging markets.
“The Philippines hopes that this contribution will help strengthen and drive meaningful change in the work of the CFC as the organization undertakes its CFC 2.0 transformation,” Ambassador Malaya said in a news release.
Belal conveyed his deep gratitude to the Philippines, citing Malaya’s proactive leadership in the organization. Malaya currently serves as Chairperson of the CFC Executive Board, having been elected in 2024 and re-elected in 2025 and again in 2026.
The latest contribution matches Manila’s 2025 support of $15,000, which helped advance the organization’s “Strategic Framework 2025–2035,” approved during the CFC Governing Council’s 37th Annual Meeting in December. Philippine participation has consistently positioned the country as an active stakeholder in shaping the Fund’s direction and programs.
The CFC represents a long-standing multilateral mechanism that finances development projects along entire commodity value chains — from production to market access — particularly in agriculture and natural resources. Its initiatives aim to raise producer incomes, create jobs, strengthen food security, and open new market opportunities through grants, loans, and impact finance.
Established within the framework of the United Nations through negotiations under the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the CFC is an autonomous intergovernmental financial institution composed of 101 member states and several regional organizations. Its projects support small and medium enterprises, cooperatives, and partner institutions in member countries, including the Philippines.
Manila’s relationship with the CFC carries historic significance. As host city of the 1976 UNCTAD Summit, Manila is widely regarded as the Fund’s “mother city,” where the landmark “Manila Declaration” helped galvanize global commitment to establishing the institution.
Since 1993, the CFC has supported 11 development projects in the Philippines spanning commodities such as cacao, seaweeds, hard fibres, coconut, sugarcane, abaca, cocowood, meat, and forestry products. Among the most recent initiatives is financing support for a project with Davao City-based agribusiness firm Kennemer Foods International Inc., focused on fermented cacao beans.