C么te d'Ivoire represented at G7++ Group of Friends of the Gulf of Guinea meeting in Paris
via Abidjan.net8 min read
T茅n茅 Birahima Ouattara, Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, represented C么te d'Ivoire at the G7++ Group of Friends of the Gulf of Guinea FOGG meeting in Paris on April 15, 2026. This high-level gathering focused on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. C么te d'Ivoire committed to establishing a sustainable financing system and a process for adopting the YARIS information-sharing platform. On April 16, 2026, Ouattara also held a working session with his French counterpart, Catherine Vautrin, Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans, to discuss security issues, including terrorism management and maritime space control. The G7++ FOGG, created in 2013 during the UK's G7 presidency, supports the maritime security architecture developed under the Code of Conduct for the prevention and suppression of piracy, armed robbery against ships, and illicit maritime activities in West and Central Africa.
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The Centre for the Promotion of Investments in C么te d'Ivoire CEPICI launched the Single Window for Private Investment Declaration GUDIP on July 10 in Abidjan. This new tool aims to improve the governance of private investments by centralizing, monitoring, and analyzing data related to private investments in C么te d'Ivoire. Developed in collaboration with the Directorate General of Economy, with technical and financial support from the Business Climate Improvement Support Program PACA-CI funded by the African Development Bank AfDB, GUDIP seeks to address information dispersion, ensure better project traceability, measure the conversion rate of investment intentions into actual achievements, and enhance the steering of public policies. According to the Director General of CEPICI, Madame Solange AMICHIA, GUDIP is a "true public governance tool" based on reliable and updated data, capable of informing decision-making and more accurately evaluating the private sector's contribution to growth, employment, and economic transformation. The national launch workshop, which brought together public administrations, technical partners, and private sector actors, saw a call for full involvement from various institutions, particularly through data sharing and the designation of focal points. The deployment of GUDIP, scheduled between the third quarter of 2026 and the first quarter of 2027, marks a new stage in modernizing C么te d'Ivoire's investment ecosystem. By strengthening data quality an
Vice President Ti茅moko Meyliet Kon茅, representing the Head of State, Alassane Ouattara, presided over a dual ceremony at the Armed Forces Academy AFA in Zambakro, near Yamoussoukro, on Thursday, July 16, 2026. The event included the naming ceremony for the 57th class of active-duty officer cadets and the epaulet presentation for the 56th class of active-duty officer cadets, as well as the 19th class of medical officer cadets. Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, T茅n茅 Birahima Ouattara, named the 57th class, comprising 124 cadets 107 from C么te d'Ivoire and 17 from other African countries, the "Merit Class," with Brigadier General Tour茅 Gneckremchin as their patron. The epaulets were awarded to 106 active-duty officer cadets from the graduating 56th "Determination Class" and 20 medical officer cadets from the 19th class, including two women. Vice President Kon茅 elevated these cadets to the rank of officers, presenting them with insignia as Second Lieutenants and Medical Lieutenants. Vice Prime Minister Ouattara urged the new officers to embrace their responsibilities, emphasizing humility in command, firmness in decisions, and discernment in action. He also advised the medical officers to speak the same language as the units they support, remember that soldiers risk their lives trusting in their care, and always honor their Hippocratic Oath. Colonel-Major Ouattara Issouf, Director of the AFA, noted the academy's growing reputation, attracting students from across Africa
Must ReadFrank R. Garcia, Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, announced several US commercial agreements in C么te d'Ivoire on July 16, 2026, during his first visit to Africa since taking office. These agreements span the digital, health, education, and logistics sectors. Notably, Starlink has been authorized to provide high-speed internet services throughout C么te d'Ivoire, including rural areas, utilizing American satellite technology. Additionally, the Ivorian government has approved a $170 million project by US company Cybastion, financed by the U.S. Export-Import Bank. This project will establish a sovereign national data center, a platform for digitizing public services, and an intelligent border surveillance system. Cisco and Cybastion are also collaborating with the US Embassy to enhance the American presence in C么te d'Ivoire's digital sector, creating jobs in both countries. In the health sector, ABD Group reached an agreement for a $293 million healthcare infrastructure project, the first major initiative under a $570 million framework agreement signed in April 2026 between ABD Group and the Ivorian government. This project will construct 55 new primary health centers and 15 new maternity wards in university and regional hospital centers, along with hospital rehabilitation projects, with work commencing in 2026 and lasting 36 months. Furthermore, US technological logistics company NTELX signed a contract with the Grand Abidjan Port-City Integration Project to expand