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Ghana and Cote d�Ivoire have formed a joint technical committee to streamline cocoa production and marketing in both countries. The committee is expected to regulate price differentials and prevent cocoa smuggling across the borders to maximise benefit for cocoa farmers. The formation of the committee was the outcome of a meeting held between a Ghana government team, led by the Chief of Staff, Mr Henry Martey Newman, and a 10-member Ivorian government delegation, led by the Ivorian Minister of Agriculture, Mr Mamadou Sangofowa Collibally, at the Castle, Osu, Monday. Ghana and Cote d�Ivoire produce about 60 per cent of the world�s cocoa. There are some incidents of cocoa smuggling across the borders of both countries. Briefing journalists after the meeting, Mr Newman said the decision for the formation of the technical committee to man cocoa operations in both countries was mooted by President John Evans Atta Mills and his Ivorian counterpart, Mr Alassane Ouattara, during the latter�s visit to Ghana two months ago. He said the Ghanaian team and the Ivorian delegation had committed themselves to strengthening their collaboration in the sector, which he described as critical. Mr Newman said the interest of the two Heads of State was to protect cocoa farmers and ensure that they derived the maximum benefit from their labour. For his part, Mr Collibally said Cote d�Ivoire was committed to collaborating with Ghana to restore sanity in the cocoa sector for the mutual benefit of the two countries. He said the setting up of the technical committee would further strengthen the collaboration between the two neighbouring countries in the cocoa sector.