On April 2, 2026, in Abidjan, the Minister of Tourism and Leisure, Siandou Fofana, received a high-level delegation from Olympique de Marseille as part of the strategic partnership around the “Sublime Côte d’Ivoire” brand.

The meeting aimed to review the actions carried out since the launch of the partnership in 2023 and to discuss prospects for strengthening this cooperation in the years to come.

The Marseille delegation was led by Alban Juster, Chairman of the Executive Board, and Alessandro Antonello, Chief Executive Officer. Frank McCourt, the club’s owner, joined via videoconference, highlighting the importance he places on this partnership.

Since its launch, this collaboration has delivered significant results, including a notable increase in the number of French tourists visiting Côte d’Ivoire. These figures demonstrate the effectiveness of this innovative tourism promotion strategy.

Minister Siandou Fofana stated:
“This partnership serves as a real bridge between sports and tourism, helping to promote Côte d’Ivoire through the audience and values of Olympique de Marseille.”

For his part, Alban Juster reaffirmed the club’s commitment:
“Olympique de Marseille is proud to continue this collaboration and to showcase a destination as rich and dynamic as Côte d’Ivoire.”

The extension of the partnership for the next three years aims to:

• Strengthen Côte d’Ivoire’s international visibility;

• Develop cultural and sporting exchanges between Abidjan and Marseille;

• Consolidate and boost the growth of tourism flows, particularly from Europe.

This partnership reflects the Ivorian government’s commitment to leveraging innovative tools, such as sports, to sustainably enhance the country’s attractiveness on the international stage.