Côte d'Ivoire and France sign 3 agreements worth approximately 90 billion CFA francs

As part of the 3rd Debt Reduction and Development Contract (C2D), Côte d’Ivoire and France signed three (3) financing agreements on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Abidjan-Plateau. These agreements concern the sectors of Health, Higher Education, and Basic Education. The total amount of the three agreements is approximately 90 billion CFA francs.

At the signing ceremony, the Ivorian delegation was represented by the Minister of Finance and Budget, Adama Coulibaly. The documents were signed on behalf of France by Jean-Christophe Belliard, the French Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, and Sandra Kassab, Director of the Africa Department at the French Development Agency (AFD).

In the Health sector, the first agreement relates to the Bla Keklé Project, with a budget of 19 billion CFA francs. This project aims to improve maternal health as well as sexual and reproductive health rights.

In the field of Higher Education, the agreement supports the ADESTRI Project, funded to the tune of 23 billion CFA francs. It seeks to significantly strengthen science education in Côte d’Ivoire.

Finally, in the Basic Education sector, the PAREC Project—with a budget of 47 billion CFA francs—will provide tens of thousands of teenagers with access to quality secondary education.

“These three projects are all aligned with the development of human capital, which is a priority for the government and is included in both the current and upcoming National Development Plan (PND),” said Minister Adama Coulibaly during his remarks.

He also announced that an additional amount of just over 3 billion CFA francs from the Bill Gates Foundation will supplement the funding provided by AFD.

The Minister of Finance and Budget concluded by assuring that the resources made available will be used appropriately.

For her part, the Director of the Africa Department at AFD noted that the three agreements signed demonstrate the commitment of both parties to inclusive, sustainable, and equitable human development. “In the social sectors in particular—education and health—the challenges are critical, and efforts are starting to pay off, as Côte d’Ivoire has recently made significant progress in the Human Development Index, moving up more than 10 places in one year. These improvements reflect strong commitments and consistent investments, which AFD is proud to support,” she emphasized.

The C2D has played a major role in supporting the country’s reconstruction and development efforts over the past decade, particularly through numerous public policies.