Telecom & Skills: Orange Côte d’Ivoire certified 42 technicians as drone remote pilots after 1,000 hours of field training, aiming to make network inspections safer and more reliable and to better anticipate maintenance to prevent service outages. Mining & Investment: Montage Gold said its Koné mine in Côte d’Ivoire reached first gold pour on budget and ahead of schedule, moving from construction to production; the plan targets about 350,000 ounces annually in early years, with resources now cited at 8.3 million ounces. Infrastructure & Urban Mobility: AGL Côte d’Ivoire transported five heavy locomotives (332.28 tonnes) from the Port of Abidjan to the Abobo Sagbé receiving site for Abidjan Metro Line 1, including port handling, hydraulic trailers, safety checks and escorted transport. Regional Diplomacy: Ivory Coast is reopening dialogue with the AES space, including a customs easing measure removing visa requirements for customs representations from Mali and Burkina Faso on transit declarations. Finance: Ivory Coast raised 110 billion CFA francs on the UMOA financial market via treasury bond auctions. Trade & Security Context: A report on Mali’s fuel convoy under escort highlights how attacks on key supply routes affect regional trade flows that also involve Ivory Coast-linked corridors. Energy/Tech Cooperation: The UAE Space Agency signed agreements with African partners during an Abidjan expo to expand Earth observation, satellite data, capacity building and space innovation. Cocoa Markets: Cocoa prices fell on dollar strength and signs of ample supply, with Ivory Coast port shipments reported up year-on-year.