🇨🇮Côte d'IvoireWest Africa
Côte d'Ivoire strengthens strategic partnership with Islamic Development Bank for PND 2026-2030 and prepares for Baku roundtable
via Abidjan.net9 min read
On April 16, 2026, during the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the IMF in Washington, the Minister of Planning and Development, Dr. Souleymane DIARRASSOUBA, held a bilateral meeting with the Vice-President of the Islamic Development Bank IsDB for operations. The IsDB Vice-President announced a new fund of nearly $500 million to boost the institution's concessional financing capacity and invited Côte d'Ivoire to prioritize requesting support from this fund during the IsDB's annual meetings in Baku in June 2026. The IsDB also confirmed its support for organizing a roundtable on investment opportunities for the National Development Plan PND 2026-2030, to be held alongside these meetings. An electricity project is also slated for approval by the Board of Directors in June. Minister DIARRASSOUBA highlighted the extensive partnership, which includes 24 active operations totaling approximately $2.5 billion, covering road infrastructure, housing, drinking water, and agriculture. He sought increased IsDB commitment to financing the PND 2026-2030, which has an overall budget of 114,838.5 billion FCFA, with 70.2% expected from the private sector and international partners. Both parties identified Islamic finance as a growth driver for the Ivorian financial market, recognizing its potential for the national economy given the country's demographic profile and favorable banking environment. Over three days in Washington, Côte d'Ivoire successfully engaged the BADEA, the Saudi Fu
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Must ReadTéné Birahima Ouattara, Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, represented Côte 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. Côte 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.
Must ReadThe 17th General Assembly of the African Union of Broadcasting AUB, held from April 14 to 17, 2026, in Banjul, Gambia, saw Côte d'Ivoire take a leading role in African audiovisual media. On its 20th anniversary, the AUB appointed Radiodiffusion Télévision Ivoirienne RTI to chair its Executive Board. Additionally, the private Ivorian channel NCI was integrated into the expanded governance structure of the AUB. RTI's election to the Executive Board presidency signifies a two-year mandate for Côte d'Ivoire, occurring amidst a restructuring phase for the AUB, which aims to harmonize broadcasting policies across the continent in response to digital transformations. A significant outcome of this assembly was the reform of the Executive Board's composition, increasing private sector representation from one to three seats. NCI, alongside Africa 24 and Label TV, now holds a position in this decision-making body. During the assembly, NCI's Director General, Ange Fabien Gueï, participated in a strategic panel discussion on the rising costs of sports retransmission rights in Africa. This discussion, which included Grégoire Ndjaka, Director General of the AUB, Pape Alé Niang, Director General of RTS, and expert Abdelmounaïm Bah, emphasized the necessity for African broadcasters to collaborate in negotiations with international rights holders. The AUB, which succeeded URTNA, is the largest professional media organization in Africa, comprising national radio and television bodies as well as
Must ReadCôte d'Ivoire concluded its participation in the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Spring Meetings with over 800 million dollars 446 billion FCFA in development commitments. Adama Coulibaly, Minister of Economy, Finance, and Budget and head of the Ivorian delegation, described the outcome as "promising," highlighting strategic agreements and growing international investor interest. Ministers Souleymane Diarrassouba Planning and Development and Sangafowa Coulibaly Mines, Petroleum, and Energy joined him in emphasizing Côte d'Ivoire's strong macroeconomic framework and renewed confidence from technical and financial partners. The country's economic performance, including an estimated 6.6% growth in 2025, controlled inflation between 1% and 3%, budget consolidation around 3.7%, and eight months of import reserves, positions it as a dynamic economy within the West African Economic and Monetary Union. Investor and financial institution discussions confirmed Côte d'Ivoire's attractiveness, with many investors expressing interest in its promising market. International banks also committed to financing structural projects, particularly within the upcoming National Development Plan 2026-2030, which garnered significant interest from American entrepreneurs. Key achievements include a memorandum of intent with ABD Group for an initial financing of at least 500 million euros for social sectors like health, education, and water. Another major step was the signing of the second Mi
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.