馃嚚馃嚠C么te d'IvoireWest Africa
Africa as an innovation laboratory at the heart of the 3rd Mobile Phones and Applications Exhibition in C么te d'Ivoire
via Abidjan.net8 min read
The 3rd edition of the Mobile Phones and Applications Exhibition STAM officially opened on Friday, July 17, 2026, at the Sofitel Abidjan H么tel Ivoire. The event, themed "Africa, a laboratory of innovation: challenges and perspectives," aims to promote African expertise in mobile technology and foster a competitive digital ecosystem. Kodioro Fofana, STAM 3 General Commissioner, stated that the exhibition seeks to highlight African know-how in mobile phone design and manufacturing, serving as a platform for smartphone manufacturers to sell their products. Organizers also intend to connect application developers, smartphone manufacturers, and startups to increase their visibility and access to investors. Arriko Bienvenue, representing Dosso Mebeti, Director General of the Information and Biotechnology Village VITIB, emphasized the Ivorian state's efforts to accelerate digital development, noting VITIB's role in leveraging digital technology for transformation. Fabiola Bernard, representing event patron Fabrice Sawegnon, discussed STAM's evolution, highlighting a shift from merely consuming technology to aspiring to design and produce it on the continent. The event included a high-level panel on "From import to manufacturing: building a sustainable value chain for components in Africa," featuring Etty Claude, Mohamed Tour茅, and Alice Ni茅, alongside various conferences on technological innovation in Africa.
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The Central Bank of West African States BCEAO commenced a two-day regional seminar on Monday, July 20, 2026, at its headquarters in Dakar. The seminar is designed for economic journalists from member countries of the West African Monetary Union UEMOA. Presided over by Mr. Habib Thiam, the institution's Secretary General, on behalf of Governor Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, this event is the second of its kind, following a previous one in May 2013. It reflects the BCEAO's commitment to establishing a continuous and structured dialogue with the Union's media. The Secretary General highlighted that the Central Bank operates amidst numerous geopolitical, economic, financial, and security challenges, compounded by accelerating digitalization and technological advancements. In response to these changes, the BCEAO has reaffirmed its strategic goal to be "an innovative and resilient Central Bank, serving the populations and sustainable development of the Union's economies." This vision is supported by a renewed communication policy, emphasizing proactivity and proximity, to better explain monetary decisions and financial issues that affect citizens' daily lives. Economic journalists are considered "privileged relays" crucial for deciphering and popularizing complex financial topics for the general public. Over the two days, institutional experts will lead interactive sessions on key UEMOA priorities, including monetary policy and financial stability, economic financing and inclusion, and di
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Must ReadSix months after a global price collapse plunged the cocoa sector into crisis, Ivory Coast's 291 billion FCFA program to repurchase unsold cocoa stocks has officially concluded. However, many cooperatives claim they were unable to sell their beans, despite being identified in an inventory conducted by the Conseil du Caf茅-cacao between January 15 and 18, 2026. The program was initiated after international cocoa prices plummeted by over 70% at the beginning of 2026, leading multinational corporations, which typically purchase 80% of the national production, to suspend their buying. This left thousands of Ivorian farmers with unsold harvests and lost income. The government responded by activating a stabilization fund to buy back 123,000 tons of inventoried beans from nearly 1,400 cooperatives. Of this, 21,000 tons were purchased by exporters before the program officially began, leaving approximately 102,000 tons for the fund. The Organisation Interprofessionnelle Agricole du secteur caf茅-cacao OIA Caf茅-Cacao was tasked with managing the repurchase, designating authorized cooperatives, and facilitating payments through the Conseil du Caf茅-cacao. While the OIA states the program is complete, questions remain regarding why some identified cooperatives still possess unsold stock. An audit of the program's management and the 291 billion FCFA fund is deemed necessary to ensure transparency and accountability before the new cocoa season begins on September 1, 2026.