Côte d'Ivoire and the OPEC Fund for International Development signed a partnership strategy in Bangkok providing for up to 500 million dollars in financing over 2026–2029, the Fund announced on Friday, 16 October. The framework is to guide its support for infrastructure and the transformation of the Ivorian economy.
The arrangement also provides for up to 3 million dollars in grants. The amounts are ceilings for the partnership period, not a lump-sum payment to the Ivorian budget at signing.
A first pillar focuses on infrastructure better adapted to climate risks. Energy, water and sanitation, transport and health are among the sectors selected. The Fund presents these investments as a means of expanding access to essential services.
The second pillar concerns agriculture and private sector development. It includes access to finance, vocational training and institutional strengthening, with the stated aim of creating more economic opportunities in less well-served communities.
The Fund's president, Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, and Ivorian Minister of Plan and Development, Souleymane Diarrassouba, signed the agreement on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The strategy aligns with the guidelines of the National Development Plan 2026–2030.
The ceiling of 500 million dollars had been announced at a meeting in Abidjan on 9 April. The signing now provides a framework for the partnership. To implement it, the Fund plans financing for the public sector and trade, grants and technical assistance.