The Executive Director of the International Coffee Organization (ICO), Mr Robério Oliveira Silva, announced today that the Russian Federation has completed membership procedures for the ICO under the International Coffee Agreement 2007.  The Russian Federation becomes the 7th importing Member of the ICO and joins the European Union, Norway, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, and the United States of America in that category.  Mr Silva said, “The Russian Federation has been an official Observer of the ICO’s meetings for several years and I have personally been engaged in talks with senior officials regarding its accession. As one of the top coffee consuming countries in the world, we believe the Russian Federation is well positioned to work with ICO Members on the promotion of the coffee sector worldwide and to tackle the challenges we face. I am delighted to welcome the Russian Federation as our newest Member.”  The Russian Federation consumed 4 million bags in 2014. Since 2000, coffee consumption in the country has doubled, growing at an estimated 3% per annum over the last four years, and is now worth over US$2.5 billion.  The International Coffee Agreement 2007, the seventh Agreement since 1962, was agreed by the 77 Members of the International Coffee Council, meeting in London on 28 September 2007. It was formally adopted by the Council through Resolution 431 and entered into force definitively on 2 February 2011. Its Member Governments now represent 95% of world coffee production and 78% of world consumption.  About the ICO: The International Coffee Organization (ICO) is an intergovernmental organization created under the auspices of the United Nations to serve the international coffee community. Established in 1963, the ICO is unique in bringing producing and consuming countries together to exchange views on coffee matters and market conditions, and address coffee policies. Among the services provided by the ICO are: up-to-date information and statistics; innovative projects to benefit the world coffee economy; coffee market reports and economic studies; consultations on coffee sector finance; as well as conferences and seminars. Source: icocoffeeorg.tumblr.com/post/117258252165/press-release-russian-federation-joins-the