🇨🇮Côte d'IvoireWest Africa
Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara meets with CMA-CGM Group CEO Rodolphe Saadé in Abidjan
via Abidjan.net8 min read
Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara met with Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the CMA-CGM Group, in Abidjan on Thursday, April 23, 2026. President Ouattara expressed his satisfaction at welcoming Mr. Saadé to Côte d'Ivoire and noted the CMA-CGM Group's decision to resume certain activities in the country. He conveyed his confidence in the success of this initiative, anticipating its benefits for Côte d'Ivoire, and assured Mr. Saadé of the Ivorian authorities' readiness to provide all necessary facilities for the company's operations. Mr. Saadé stated that his visit to Abidjan was for the inauguration of CMA-CGM Group's Regional Africa Office, which they chose to establish in Côte d'Ivoire. This office aims to expand the Group's presence in maritime transport and logistics within the country. The meeting was attended by Mr. Fidèle Sarassoro, Minister, Chief of Staff to the President of the Republic; Mr. Amadou Koné, Minister of Transport and Maritime Affairs; and Mrs. Masséré Touré-Koné, Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Abidjan.net.
Société Ivoirienne de Banque SIB, a subsidiary of the Moroccan banking group Attijariwafa Bank, reported a net profit of 55.6 billion FCFA as of December 31, 2025. This represents an 11% increase compared to 50.2 billion FCFA recorded at the same period in 2024, according to its 2025 activity report released on Thursday, April 23, 2026. The bank highlighted its robust economic model and ability to generate profitable and sustainable growth. SIB maintained all prudential ratios and a strong capital base, with a solvency ratio exceeding 14%, well above the regulatory threshold. Financing granted by the bank increased by 11% to 1,227 billion FCFA, demonstrating its support for various client segments. The balance sheet total reached 1,882 billion FCFA by the end of 2025, an annual increase of 12%. Management expenses were controlled at 42 billion FCFA in 2025, a 4% annual rise, leading to an improved operating coefficient of 38.6%. The cost of risk decreased by 30% to 3.6 billion FCFA, reflecting prudent risk management. The Board of Directors plans to propose a gross dividend of 425 FCFA per share at the next Annual General Meeting, corresponding to an estimated yield of 7.39% based on the December 31, 2025, share price. SIB, which has been a subsidiary of Attijariwafa Bank since 2009, operates 71 branches across Côte d'Ivoire and aims to continue its active role in financing the Ivorian economy through its "IMPULSION 2028" strategic plan.
Assalé Tiémoko Antoine, president of the political movement Today and Tomorrow, Côte d’Ivoire ADCI, was questioned on Wednesday, April 22, at the Abidjan police headquarters as part of an ongoing judicial procedure. The interrogation, which lasted from 10 AM to 11:55 PM, was conducted in the presence of a commissioner and a prosecutor. During the lengthy questioning, Mr. Tiémoko Assalé experienced two cardiovascular incidents, one around 2 PM and another at 6 PM. A cardiology professor was dispatched to the scene, and after examination, his health was deemed concerning, leading to an urgent transfer to the Abidjan Cardiology Institute to lower his blood pressure and prevent complications. The National Executive Bureau BEN of ADCI stated that no restrictive measures were notified to his lawyers during or after the hearing. After signing the report around 1:45 AM, Mr. Tiémoko Assalé went to the Cardiology Institute under police escort, with assurances from the investigating commissioner that he could return home once his health stabilized. However, on Thursday, April 23, while hospitalized, the prosecutor informed his lawyer that he was now placed in police custody. He is expected to be returned to the Abidjan police headquarters for formalities before being brought before the prosecutor on Friday, April 24, 2026. The BEN has called for calm and discipline from its members and supporters, expressing gratitude to Ivorians who have been following the case, and assured that it rem
Former Ivorian international footballer Abdoulaye Traoré, also known as Ben Badi, has been sentenced to three years in prison for the rape of a 19-year-old girl in 2021. The verdict was delivered on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, by the Abidjan-Plateau Court of First Instance. In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed a 10-year deprivation of civil rights for Ben Badi, a five-year ban from residing in Bouaké, and ordered him to pay 15 million FCFA in damages to the victim. Abdoulaye Traoré is a member of the Economic, Social, Environmental and Cultural Council CESEC of Côte d'Ivoire and was a key player for the Ivorian national football team, winning the Africa Cup of Nations CAN in 1992.
A delegation from Ghana's Tree Crops Development Authority TCDA visited Côte d'Ivoire from April 20 to 26, 2026, to learn from its experience in organizing and governing the cashew sector. The visit, part of the "Cashew Partnership Ghana – Côte d’Ivoire" initiative, involved meetings with the Cotton Cashew Shea Council and other cashew industry stakeholders. The TCDA is responsible for developing and regulating six strategic perennial crops in Ghana, including cashew, mango, coconut, oil palm, rubber, and shea. Dr. Andy Osei Okrah, Executive Director of the TCDA, led the delegation, which was hosted by Mr. Mamadou BERTÉ, Director General of the Cotton Cashew Shea Council. Discussions focused on the challenges of production, marketing, and regulation of agricultural products, particularly cashew, in the context of significant cross-border flows. Mr. BERTÉ highlighted the common concern of uncontrolled product circulation and international price fluctuations impacting producers, emphasizing the need for better policy coordination and concerted regulatory mechanisms. He stated that the "leakage of products to neighboring countries" is a major challenge, calling for joint efforts to manage these flows and find common solutions to secure production and organize local processing. He also stressed the importance of establishing a sustainable collaboration framework, noting that a common marketing strategy could positively influence the global market, given Ghana's estimated producti