
On April 16, 2026, the Minister of Planning and Development, Dr. Souleymane DIARRASSOUBA, and the Minister of Economy, Finance, and Budget, Adama COULIBALY, participated in a forum in Washington to promote C么te d'Ivoire's National Development Plan PND 2026-2030. The event, organized in partnership with the Corporate Council on Africa, Miller & Chevalier, and the U.S. Department of Commerce, brought together American and international investors. Dr. DIARRASSOUBA presented President Alassane Ouattara's vision for a stable, ambitious, and unified nation, with the PND 2026-2030 outlining 810 projects across seven priority industrial clusters: agro-industry, energy, digital technology, health, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, and textiles. The plan, with a total budget of 114,838.5 billion FCFA over five years, relies on 70.2% private sector financing. Macroeconomic projections include an annual growth rate of 7.2%, a reduction in poverty to 20%, and the creation of over three million jobs by 2030, all within an economy characterized by contained inflation around 1% and strong international ratings. American investors showed significant interest in digital opportunities data centers, artificial intelligence, 4G/5G corridors, agricultural modernization, energy, mining, and health. The forum culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with ABD Group for 500 million euros approximately 327.98 billion FCFA for projects in health, water management, and education,
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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
Must ReadFrank R. Garcia, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, announced several commercial agreements between American companies and C么te d'Ivoire during his first visit to Africa. These agreements span the digital, health, education, and logistics sectors. The Ivorian government has granted final authorization to Starlink to provide high-speed internet services, utilizing American satellite technology to improve connectivity across the country, including rural areas. Additionally, American company Cybastion received approval for a $170 million project, financed by the U.S. Export-Import Bank, to build a sovereign national data center, develop a public services digitization platform, and deploy an intelligent border surveillance system. Cisco and Cybastion are also collaborating with the US Embassy to strengthen the American digital presence in C么te d'Ivoire and create jobs in both countries. In the health sector, ABD Group reached an agreement for a $293 million healthcare infrastructure project, the first major initiative from a $570 million framework agreement signed in April 2026 between the company and the Ivorian government, covering health, education, and water. For logistics, American company NTELX signed a contract with the Grand Abidjan Port-City Integration Project to deploy truck coordination technology at the Port of Abidjan to improve goods traffic flow. Garcia stated that Starlink's commercial services authorization is a significant step for conn

Sidi Tour茅, Vice-President of Liberal International and Minister of Animal and Fishery Resources, and Alexandra Heldt, West Africa Regional Director for the Friedrich Naumann Foundation FNF, have called for a new approach to the Africa-Europe partnership regarding migration. Speaking at the Liberal Forum for Political Dialogue in Abidjan, held from July 15-16, 2026, under the theme "Migration, security and development: rethinking the Africa-Europe partnership," they emphasized that migration should be viewed as a matter of freedom rather than solely a problem. Sidi Tour茅 highlighted UN data indicating that migrants constitute 3.7% of the global population, with over 96% of people living in their birth countries, and noted that 70% of African migration occurs within the continent. He stressed the importance of preserving free movement, despite political divergences, particularly concerning the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from ECOWAS. Alexandra Heldt condemned xenophobic rhetoric in both Africa and Europe, citing violence against migrants in South Africa since 2008. She pointed out the paradox in Europe, where labor needs coexist with anti-immigration sentiment, and argued that migration fosters exchange, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Both advocated for a balanced Africa-Europe partnership founded on mobility, shared responsibility, and liberal values, urging decision-makers to focus on trust and cooperation over fear and rejection. Sidi Tour茅 concluded by s