Diplomacy & Trade: India’s MoS for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh visited Abidjan (Aug 6–8) as a Guest of Honour for Côte d’Ivoire’s 66th National Day, holding talks on economic and development partnerships, defence cooperation and broader bilateral ties. Financial Crime Fight: Côte d’Ivoire reaffirmed its commitment to combating money laundering as GIABA inaugurated a new Information Center in Abidjan, with a focus on training, information sharing and regional cooperation, including risks from virtual assets and cross-border flows. Cement Sector Leadership: LafargeHolcim Côte d’Ivoire appointed Mohamed Kharraki as Managing Director effective 1 August 2026, targeting operational performance, safety, digitalisation and decarbonisation across its Abidjan and San Pédro plants. Mobility Finance Expansion: Naran secured $10m to scale rent-to-own mobility financing, including expansion into Côte d’Ivoire, supported by its in-house fleet management and fintech products. Land Tenure & Investment: Côte d’Ivoire plans Abidjan Land Tenure Days (Oct 5–7) to position the country as a regional hub for land tenure security, citing millions of hectares needing tenure reforms, undemarcated villages and pending land certificates. Energy & Transport Costs: Fuel prices rose in Côte d’Ivoire (petrol +30 CFA/litre; diesel +25), pushing up costs for Abidjan transport-heavy businesses. Business & Governance: LafargeHolcim leadership change and GIABA’s Abidjan hub underline a week of policy and institutional moves aimed at investment confidence and compliance.