In light of the recent developments on travel restrictions, the declaration of safety of all participants and additional measures taken by the host country relating to the COVID-19 outbreak, the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, and the Organising Committee of the World Rubber Summit (WRS) 2020 have announced the postponement of the conference to September 2020. The new dates will be communicated in due course, said the organisers.
The three-day event will be held under the theme “Unlocking the Potential of the Rubber Economy: Pathways to Growth in the Next Decade” in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The World Rubber Summit (WRS) is a unique and exclusive opportunity for the global rubber industry to discuss the current challenges that the industry is facing but also the future opportunities that might arise from the disruptive trends that are transforming the automotive industry and the extensive use of innovative solutions to improve rubber quality and productivity.
According to the IRSG, the global economy is in a synchronised slowdown, a 3 % growth in 2019, lowest since the financial crisis before moving to the next decade. The rubber economy is not an exception, it is certainly at a crossroad, said the organisers. Mature and emerging markets must face challenges to embrace disruptive innovations, climate mitigation and digitalisation to pave the path for a sustained and inclusive growth in 2020 and beyond. Sustainable mobility and advances in the health sector, supported by social, economic and technological trends, require the identification of opportunities that are compatible with the transformation and offer more solutions than products. Narratives on competitive prices and welfare of the weakest links in the supply chain need to be redefined to unlock potential in the rubber supply chain. Partnerships can certainly shape the resurgence of a competitive and sustainable rubber value chain that will drive the momentum for inclusive growth in the next decade.
The World Rubber Summit 2020 will start with a full day site visit to the rubber estate (plantation and factory) of the Compagnie des Caoutchouchs du Pakidié de Dabou (CCP Dabou) as well as a small rubber holding (plantation and factory).
According to the organisers, during the two-day conference, presentations and panel sessions will provide key insights on how an effective and constructive dialogue between producers and consumers could lead the industry growth that will preserve the environment and provide prosperity to all stakeholders in the rubber value chain. The preliminary programme (state as of 4 March 2020) comprises the following presentations.
Day one
- Opening Ceremony and Welcome Address
- Keynote Address 1: Economic Growth and Sustainability: A Balancing Act
- Governmental Panel Discussion: Competitiveness of Commodity Value Chain: Shaping partnership for Resurgence
- Keynote Address 2: Unlocking Sustainability: Re-framing Narrative for Sustainable Development
- Panel 2: Rubber Economy in Africa – Sustainable Investment for a New Growth Paradigm?
- Panel 3: Business Model for Value Addition and Profitability: From Rhetoric to Realisation
- Panel 4: Sustainable financing – Raising the Bar: Asia vs Africa
Day two
- Keynote Address: Urbanisation and Mobility Potential for Africa: A Game Changer?
- Commodity Price Volatility – Speculation or Fundamentals?
- Panel 5: Responsible Sourcing to Circularity – What Stakeholder Partnership in Commodity Value Chain Could Offer?
- Panel 6: Land Use Optimisation – Low Emissions Development and Sustainable Farm Income
- Raising the Role of Women and Youth in Rubber Industry
- Panel 7: Priority Strategies Going Forward
Contact:
M. Ndiaye Oumar
E-mail ndiayeo@firca.ci
Tel. +225 08 732245
M. Porquet Désiré
E-mail djporquet@hotmail.com
Tel. +225 07 725757
(Please copy all communication to the IRSG WRS2020 team: wrs2020@rubberstudy.com)