US and AfDB Explore Joint Initiatives to Support Côte d'Ivoire's Transformation

A senior official from the African Development Bank (AfDB) recently met with a high-level U.S. delegation on 17 November at the Bank’s headquarters to discuss deepening cooperation and enhancing support for Côte d'Ivoire’s economic transformation and investment priorities.

The meeting was chaired by Joseph Martial Ribeiro, Deputy Director General for West Africa at the African Development Bank, and Jessica Davis Ba, U.S. Ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire, alongside Alex Severens, the Bank Group’s Alternate Executive Director for the U.S. The discussion centred on expanding collaboration in key sectors to accelerate the country’s development goals.

Ribeiro presented an update on the Bank Group’s extensive involvement in Côte d'Ivoire, revealing that as of the end of October, the Bank had financed 46 operations amounting to $4.2 billion. These investments span a wide range of sectors, including infrastructure, energy, agriculture, financial services, industrialisation, and private sector development.

The Bank’s Lead Economist for West Africa, Marcellin Ndong Ntah, shared a detailed economic overview of Côte d'Ivoire, highlighting strong macroeconomic performance, with growth projected at 6% for 2024 and anticipated to reach 6.5% in 2025-2026. He also outlined the strategic focus of Côte d'Ivoire’s Country Strategy Paper (CSP 2023–2028), which focuses on diversification, sustainability, and structural transformation, with a mid-term review scheduled for 2026.

Blanche Kiniffo, Country Programme Officer at the AfDB, then presented the Bank’s country portfolio and the indicative operational programme for 2026, which will focus on sectors such as transport, finance, energy, agriculture, and governance—areas accounting for over 80% of the Bank’s financing in Côte d'Ivoire. The 2026 programme is expected to unlock new opportunities in industrialisation, water, sanitation, and governance.

The U.S. delegation presented its trade strategy in Côte d'Ivoire, developed by the U.S. Embassy's Prosperity Working Group, identifying shared goals with the AfDB. This alignment paves the way for joint initiatives, particularly in supporting private sector growth starting in 2026.

The meeting also discussed procurement opportunities and explored the Bank's project pipeline, including potential financing mechanisms for U.S. companies. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to fostering an investment-friendly environment and expanding collaborative efforts to support high-impact projects in Côte d'Ivoire.