International Council of Beverages Associations launches Africa chapter, appoints Iddah Asin as Executive Director 

KENYA – The International Council of Beverages Associations (ICBA) has officially launched its Africa chapter in Nairobi, appointing Kenyan lawyer and policy expert Iddah Asin as its first Executive Director.  

The move marks a significant step in expanding the council’s global presence and strengthening representation for the non-alcoholic drinks industry across the continent. 

Founded in 1995, the ICBA is a global industry group that unites national beverage associations and multinational companies producing and marketing soft drinks, bottled water, juices, energy drinks, sports drinks, and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. 

The Africa chapter will operate alongside other regional arms, including ICBA Latin America and ICBA Asia Pacific, to promote best practices and advance industry priorities. 

In a statement, ICBA said its Africa operations will focus on sharing expertise, supporting evidence-based policymaking, and addressing key issues such as health, nutrition, and environmental sustainability.  

The chapter will also work to strengthen partnerships between beverage companies, governments, and civil society across Africa, contributing to the sector’s role in economic development. 

Iddah Asin, who has held senior government affairs roles at Johnson & Johnson and Kenya Airways, expressed her commitment to the new role.  

“I’m truly honoured to become the first Executive Director of ICBA Africa and to help the sector contribute to positive outcomes on the continent and around the world, building from Africa’s unique priorities and maximising our collective potential,” she said. 

ICBA President Andrés Massieu described the launch as a strategic development for the industry in Africa. “Benefitting from Ms. Asin’s deep expertise in public-private collaboration, health, and sustainability, we are confident that ICBA Africa will be a valuable resource to governments and stakeholders throughout the region and globally,” he noted. 

The expansion comes as Africa is increasingly viewed as a growth market for sweetened and processed beverages, despite public health concerns over rising rates of obesity, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases linked to high sugar intake.  

In Kenya, health advocates have called for stronger measures such as increased taxation on sugary drinks and clear front-of-package nutritional warnings. 

Globally, the ICBA has participated in policy discussions within the World Health Organization (WHO) and Codex Alimentarius on marketing, labelling, and nutrition regulations.  

The organization has consistently opposed sugar tax policies, arguing they negatively affect jobs and the industry without producing meaningful health benefits. In 2017, it unsuccessfully lobbied the WHO to remove sugar-sweetened beverage taxes from its Global NCD Action Plan. 

The upcoming Fourth High-level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health will see the adoption of a Political Declaration that omits reference to sugar taxes, a position aligned with ICBA’s long-standing advocacy. 

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