🇨🇮Côte d'IvoireWest Africa
Côte d'Ivoire aims for another world title at the 2026 Unified Football World Cup
via Abidjan.net8 min read
The official draw for the Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup 2026 took place on Thursday, April 16, 2026, in Paris. Côte d'Ivoire, placed in Group A of the women's tournament alongside France, Thailand, and Costa Rica, is seeking another world title, according to a statement from Special Olympics Côte d'Ivoire released on Friday, April 17, 2026. As the reigning world champions from the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023, Côte d'Ivoire approaches this competition with ambition and determination. The Ivorian women's team, with its experience and talent, intends to confirm its status on the international stage and return to the Ébrié Lagoon with the trophy. The World Cup, scheduled from July 6 to 11, 2026, in Paris, will feature 24 teams 12 men's and 12 women's, comprising athletes with and without intellectual disabilities. Matches will be held at Stade Charléty and the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, fostering an atmosphere of inclusive sports celebration. The event will bring together over 500 athletes, their families, and hundreds of volunteers, promoting a spirit of sharing, solidarity, and inclusion. Côte d'Ivoire's objective in this competition is to make history and affirm its global leadership in unified football. Unified football promotes inclusive sports practice by integrating people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team.
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Fatim Cissé, Director General of IHC Tower, has been officially named the sponsor of the 9th graduating class in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny National Polytechnic Institute INP-HB in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire. The ceremony, held on April 17, 2026, also celebrated the graduation of over 60 students from various programs, including the 6th and 7th cohorts of Data Science, Big Data, and Artificial Intelligence, as well as the 1st and 2nd cohorts of Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence. Cissé expressed pride in the institute's progress and its continental influence, committing to support young talents and encourage them to pursue careers in these promising fields. Dr. Ouattara Dongui, representing the Minister of Planning and Development, congratulated the graduates and emphasized the importance of excellence for national development. The graduates, through their representative Ms. Kouao, thanked the authorities, instructors, and partner institutions for their support.
Must ReadPrime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé met with a delegation from the Green Climate Fund GCF, led by Catherine Koffman, GCF Director General for Africa, on Friday, April 17, 2026, in Abidjan. The meeting, also attended by Ivorian Minister of Environment Abou Bamba, focused on the next steps for establishing the GCF's regional office in Abidjan, particularly discussions regarding the headquarters agreements. Catherine Koffman stated that the discussions covered investment priorities, climate finance, and the operationalization of the GCF's presence in Abidjan. She noted that 18 approved projects, totaling approximately 190 million dollars, directly or indirectly benefit Côte d'Ivoire, though she acknowledged this is modest compared to the country's needs and the impacts of climate change. Koffman also mentioned a project nearing finalization for the construction of a photovoltaic power plant in Côte d'Ivoire and discussed grants provided to strengthen national institutions' capacity in formulating and implementing climate projects. The GCF chose Abidjan as the location for its African regional office during its 44th Board meeting held from March 25 to 28, 2026, in South Korea.
Must ReadPope Leo XIV celebrated a large-scale mass in Douala on Friday, April 17, 2026. The event was covered by AFPTV and published on Abidjan.net.
Société Générale Côte d’Ivoire SGCI announced a significant dividend distribution of 81.081 billion FCFA for the 2025 financial year, a substantial increase from 57.9 billion FCFA the previous year. This announcement was made by SGCI Director General Patrick Blas during the presentation of the bank's 2025 financial results and 2026 outlook in Abidjan-Plateau on April 17, 2026. The dividends represent 80% of the net profit, which exceeded 101 billion FCFA, with a total of 31 million shares. Blas highlighted a 40% increase in share value compared to the previous year, attributing the strong performance to the bank's robust economic model and confidence in its future prospects. The bank's total balance sheet reached 3,769 billion FCFA, up 4.3% from 2024, and credit outstanding grew by 2.9% to 2,546 billion FCFA, despite a slowdown in economic activity in late 2025. Deposits rose by 5.8% to 2,908 billion FCFA, improving the credit-to-deposit ratio to 87.6%. While general expenses increased by 7.3% due to exceptional costs like headquarters renovation, the operating ratio remained controlled at 38.8%. The net cost of risk also rose by 29.2%, reflecting prudent portfolio management. The non-performing loan rate stood at 8% with an 82% coverage rate, indicating solid asset quality. The net profit of 101.352 billion FCFA remained stable compared to 2024, confirming the bank's resilience in a challenging environment. For 2026, SGCI plans to strengthen its market position by focusing o