About 2,000 coffee farmers, roasters, international buyers and experts will convene in the capital to discuss policies and access to finance in February at the backdrop of the 20th African Fine Coffees Conference & Exhibition. The Ethiopian Coffee & Tea Authority announced the theme of the conference last week at the Sheraton Addis Hotel, Taitu Street while the first African Coffee Week will be held simultaneously. Shafi Omar, deputy director general of the Authority, said that the four-day event will create a great opportunity to promote Ethiopian coffee in Africa and the world market. The conference and exhibition will be jointly organised by the Authority, the Inter-African Coffee Organization (IACO) and the African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA), a membership-based association representing coffee sectors in 11 member countries. While coffee remains Ethiopia's primary export, its price susceptibility to international markets has necessitated the development of alternative means of marketing and cultivation in recent years.