Côte d’Ivoire-India Cooperation: Review of Dr. S. Jaishankar’s Visit
The Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar, paid an official bilateral visit to the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire on October 7 and 8, 2026. This visit marks a significant milestone in the long-standing friendly relations and cooperation between India and Côte d’Ivoire. During his visit, the Minister met with H.E. Mr. Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. He conveyed to him personal greetings from the Honorable President and the Honorable Prime Minister of India. The partnership between India and Côte d’Ivoire is rooted in mutual respect and a shared commitment to development and prosperity. He thanked President Ouattara for sharing his vision for a strong, sustainable, and mutually beneficial partnership.
The Minister of External Affairs met with H.E. Mr. Téné Birahima Ouattara, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, to discuss the growing defense partnership, underpinned by mutual trust, capacity building, and shared interests. Views were exchanged on opportunities to deepen cooperation in the fields of defense and counter-terrorism, particularly through training, capacity building, and strengthening institutional exchanges.
The Minister held talks with H.E. Mrs. Nialé Kaba, Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, engaging in in-depth discussions on expanding the partnership between the two countries, notably in the areas of trade, investment, infrastructure, agriculture, health, and people-to-people relations. He emphasized that India’s human-centric cooperation will be guided by the priorities of Côte d’Ivoire. The Minister also addressed deepening engagement within multilateral forums.
The Minister was pleased to interact with alumni of the ITEC program in Côte d’Ivoire and listen to their testimonials. He highlighted how India’s capacity-building initiatives address the demands and priorities of India's partners while nurturing human connections between our societies. He thanked Mr. N’Guessan Koffi, Minister of Technical Education, Vocational Training, and Apprenticeship (and an ITEC alumnus), for participating in the meeting.
The Minister met with the Indian community residing in Côte d’Ivoire and praised the essential role played by the Indian diaspora as a living bridge between the two nations. He highlighted the remarkable transformation taking place in India across various sectors as well as its growing global engagement. He mentioned India's efforts to diversify its energy sources and secure fertilizer supplies amidst global uncertainties through strong international partnerships. He also underlined the government's priority on enhancing quality of life and delivering citizen-centric services, notably through significant improvements in passport and consular services.
The Minister recalled India's enhanced capabilities in disaster response and the evacuation of Indian nationals in emergency situations, reflecting its commitment to the well-being and safety of its citizens. He further referenced India's role in building international consensus during its G20 presidency and its engagement within BRICS, highlighting in particular the historic achievement of securing permanent membership for the African Union in the G20 under the Indian presidency in 2023.
This visit has injected new momentum into the friendly, long-standing relations between India and Côte d’Ivoire.