Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget, Adama Coulibaly, participated in the 13th Paris Forum, held on June 23–24, 2026, in Paris, under the theme: “Enhancing Cooperation in a Changing Sovereign Debt Landscape.” The event brought together member countries of the Paris Club, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank Group, as well as several African countries, including Egypt and Ethiopia, alongside international banking institutions.
Speaking during a panel entitled “Rethinking International Dialogue and Partnerships in Response to the Changing Global Sovereign Debt Landscape,” Adama Coulibaly presented Côte d’Ivoire’s medium-term sovereign debt management strategy.
The minister explained that the country’s strategy is built on four key pillars: mobilizing development partners, diversifying funding sources, adopting more sophisticated financing structures, and strengthening its commitment to sustainable finance.
He also highlighted three innovative initiatives implemented by Côte d’Ivoire: a debt-for-development swap backed by a World Bank guarantee, which generated savings redirected to the education sector; a sustainable financing operation supported by dual guarantees from the World Bank and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency to finance climate-related projects and resilient infrastructure; and an international bond issuance denominated in the CFA franc (FCFA), designed to deepen the regional financial market while transferring foreign exchange risk to investors.
Addressing the international audience, the minister called for stronger support for innovative financing mechanisms benefiting African countries. He urged members of the Paris Club and international financial institutions to expand their backing for initiatives promoting sustainable debt management and to reinforce the role of regional development banks.
Discussions during the forum highlighted the growing debt challenges facing developing countries. According to participants, nearly 3.4 billion people live in countries that allocate more resources to debt servicing than to healthcare or education. They also noted that African countries sometimes borrow at interest rates up to four times higher than those faced by other developing economies, amid geopolitical tensions, tighter global financial conditions, and the increasing impact of climate change.
The minister’s participation comes at a time when Côte d’Ivoire has recorded a significant improvement in its debt profile. The country’s risk of debt distress has been upgraded from “moderate” to “low,” making it the only African economy to achieve such a performance.