Côte d’Ivoire: AfDB and the United States Discuss Joint Opportunities for Economic Transformation

The Deputy Director General of the African Development Bank Group for West Africa, Joseph Martial Ribeiro, received on 17 November, at the institution’s headquarters in Abidjan, a high-level U.S. delegation led by Jessica Davis Ba, United States Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, and Alex Severens, Alternate Executive Director of the Bank Group for the United States. The meeting aimed to strengthen bilateral cooperation with a shared objective: supporting Côte d’Ivoire’s economic transformation and boosting investment partnerships.

Mr. Ribeiro provided a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the Bank Group’s portfolio in Côte d’Ivoire. He noted that as of the end of October, the pan-African financial institution was involved in 46 operations, representing a total of 4.2 billion U.S. dollars. These projects specifically support infrastructure, the financial sector, energy, agricultural transformation, industrialization, and private sector development in Côte d’Ivoire.

The Bank Group’s Lead Economist for West Africa, Marcellin Ndong Ntah, presented a detailed economic assessment of Côte d’Ivoire, highlighting the remarkable resilience of its economy, with growth estimated at 6% in 2024 and similarly favorable prospects for 2025–2026 (6.5%). Mr. Ndong Ntah also outlined the key directions of Côte d’Ivoire’s Country Strategy Paper (CSP 2023–2028), centered on diversification, sustainability, and structural transformation, noting that a mid-term review of the CSP is planned for 2026.

The meeting continued with a presentation of the country portfolio and the Bank Group’s indicative operational program for 2026, delivered by Blanche Kiniffo, Country Program Officer. She highlighted a particularly dynamic portfolio, dominated by the transport, finance, energy, and agriculture sectors, which together account for more than 80% of the institution’s financing in Côte d’Ivoire. Projections for 2026 foresee new opportunities in key areas such as industrialization, governance, and water and sanitation.

For its part, the U.S. delegation presented the United States’ commercial strategy in Côte d’Ivoire, developed by a dedicated task force (U.S. Embassy Prosperity Working Group). The discussions that followed made it possible to identify several areas of convergence between U.S. priorities and the Bank Group’s interventions, paving the way for joint initiatives as early as 2026, particularly in support of the private sector.

Talks also covered procurement opportunities and the African Development Bank Group’s project pipeline in Côte d’Ivoire, as well as private sector operations, including financing instruments and prospects for U.S. companies.

This working session, both technical and strategic, confirmed a shared willingness to deepen dialogue and strengthen collaboration around high-impact projects. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to creating an enabling investment environment and supporting companies interested in opportunities in Côte d’Ivoire.