AGP Executive Report

Visa & Mobility for Business: Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon are moving toward a visa-exemption deal, aiming to cut travel friction and boost trade, investment, transport and education links between Yaoundé and Abidjan. US Visa Processing Reshuffle: The United States plans to slash Africa visa-processing missions from nearly 50 to 20 “hubs,” with Abidjan named as one of the designated centres—meaning applicants may face new travel requirements if they’re outside hub countries. World Cup Spurs Local Demand: As Côte d’Ivoire’s matches land in Philadelphia, the wider World Cup build-up is also driving travel and services demand; meanwhile, the USVI–United route expansion highlights how airlines are adjusting schedules for major events. Commodities & Corruption Watch: Swiss investigators raided Geneva trader Gunvor over suspected corruption tied to foreign public officials, adding to scrutiny of past cases involving Côte d’Ivoire. Tech & Entrepreneurship: A new Ivorian ecosystem push is highlighted through women-led tech initiatives in Abidjan, pointing to growing local digital talent and startup momentum.

Visa & Mobility: The U.S. plans to cut visa-processing missions across Africa from nearly 50 to 20 hubs, with Côte d’Ivoire’s Abidjan named as one of the regional centres—meaning applicants from non-hub countries may need to travel farther for interviews and biometrics. Regional Diplomacy: Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon are also moving toward a mutual visa exemption agreement, aimed at easing travel and boosting trade, investment, transport and business links between Abidjan and Yaoundé. Trade & Shipping: After the Strait of Hormuz disruption, shipping traffic is rerouting toward Africa’s Atlantic coast, a shift that could benefit ports such as Lomé. Cocoa & Food Prices: Fairtrade Foundation warns that temporary tariff cuts on food items (including cocoa-linked products) could pressure pay arrangements for farmers in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. World Cup Business Angle: Philadelphia’s World Cup preparations include major security and transport upgrades, with Côte d’Ivoire set to play Ecuador in the city—an event that will likely drive short-term demand for services and logistics.

Visa Reform Impact (Ivory Coast in the hub list): The U.S. plans to cut visa-processing missions across Africa from nearly 50 to 20 hubs, with Abidjan named as one of the full-service locations—meaning applicants from non-hub countries may need to travel farther for interviews and biometrics, raising costs and delays for students, tourists and business travellers. Regional Mobility Deal (Ivory Coast–Cameroon): Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon have moved toward a mutual visa exemption agreement, aiming to remove the “red tape” that has long slowed Abidjan–Yaoundé travel for business and tourism. Public Service & Health Systems: A two-day HaPSNA meeting opened in Abidjan to strengthen community health programs through civil service systems, bringing together delegates from nine countries to align health workforce development with public service reforms. World Cup Business Pulse (Ivory Coast–Ecuador in Philadelphia): With Côte d’Ivoire set to play Ecuador in Philadelphia on June 14, U.S. transit and event planning ramps up, while broader World Cup ticket demand and pricing dynamics continue to shape travel and spending. Cocoa & Markets: El Niño fears tied to West Africa’s weather risk pushed cocoa futures higher in May, with analysts warning about potential impacts on output in the 2026/27 season.

US Visa Access in West Africa: A leaked US State Department memo says visa services in Africa will be scaled back to 20 “hubs,” with Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) listed among the remaining processing locations—raising uncertainty for travel and business mobility. Cocoa Price Shock for Côte d’Ivoire: El Niño fears are pushing cocoa higher again, with West Africa’s output risk driving May gains on global markets and spotlighting how weather can quickly hit farmer incomes and export earnings. Resource Sector Tax & Customs: African governments are tightening tax and customs regimes in mining and oil and gas, including Côte d’Ivoire’s royalty changes—an update that matters for investor costs, contract renegotiations, and state revenue planning. AfDB Financial Architecture Push: AfDB President Sidi Ould Tah urged stronger regional financial cooperation and risk-sharing to reduce reliance on external funding—while African deposit and investment funds endorsed the New African Financial Architecture for Development. World Cup Business Angle for Côte d’Ivoire: With Côte d’Ivoire in Group E, the tournament’s ticketing and travel frictions are again in the spotlight, affecting diaspora spending and cross-border demand.

Banking & Trade Links: UBA marked Africa Day with group-wide celebrations across 20 African markets, with CEO Oliver Alawuba framing the lender as a “bridge” connecting markets, cultures and opportunities—at a time when digital finance and cross-border trade are reshaping how businesses transact. Regional Finance Push: The AfDB is urging stronger regional financial cooperation and risk-sharing to mobilise more development capital, while African deposit funds backed the AfDB’s New African Financial Architecture (NAFAD) to reduce reliance on external financing. Investment-Led Development: AfDB and the World Economic Forum say Africa’s frontier markets need a shift from aid dependency to private investment, launching a Humanitarian and Resilience Investing (HRI) roadmap to unlock commercial capital. Cocoa & Climate Risk: A report warns extreme weather could drive food price shocks, citing cocoa price surges linked to heat waves in Ghana and the Ivory Coast—raising inflation pressure across economies. Côte d’Ivoire in the Spotlight: World Cup Group E includes Ivory Coast, with the tournament’s June 1 roster deadline and Group E matchups drawing attention to Côte d’Ivoire’s sporting profile alongside Germany and Curacao.

AfDB/WEF Financing Push: The AfDB and World Economic Forum backed a “paradigm shift” for Africa’s frontier markets, arguing private investment—not aid—must drive resilience and development, with a roadmap aimed at mobilising capital into underfunded economies. NAFAD Endorsement: African deposit and investment funds endorsed the AfDB’s New African Financial Architecture for Development (NAFAD), adopted via the Abidjan Consensus, to strengthen domestic resource mobilisation and cut reliance on external financing. Cocoa Market Update (Abidjan): The International Cocoa Organization trimmed the 2024/25 global cocoa surplus estimate to 48,000 tonnes (from 75,000), citing updated production and grindings figures; the bulletin is released from Abidjan. Energy/Infrastructure Deal: An Egyptian-led consortium is expanding into African infrastructure and energy, partnering Elsewedy Electric with Algeria’s Sonelgaz on renewable projects, with Ivory Coast listed among early target destinations. Transport for Business: ISUZU began shipping its new D-MAX bakkie from South Africa to more than 30 African markets, including Ivory Coast, supporting agriculture, mining, construction and logistics.

Frontier-Market Finance: The AfDB and World Economic Forum launched the “HRI Roadmap for Africa,” arguing aid alone can’t fix Africa’s fragile frontier markets and pushing a shift to private, investment-led development to close a roughly $400bn financing gap. Cocoa Market Signal: The ICCO cut its 2024/25 global cocoa surplus estimate to 48,000 tonnes (from 75,000), citing updated production and grindings data, with stocks-to-grindings at 28.5%. AfCFTA Trade Push (Lomé): Biashara Afrika 2026 in Lomé moved AfCFTA discussions toward practical cross-border measures, spotlighting goods, services and people flows. Côte d’Ivoire in World Cup Group E: Group E includes Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador, with Germany’s Wirtz and Musiala and Ivory Coast’s transition threat flagged ahead of the tournament. Côte d’Ivoire Business & Mobility: ISUZU began shipping new D-MAX units from South Africa to more than 30 African markets, including Ivory Coast, targeting agriculture, mining, construction and logistics. Digital Identity & Fraud Risk: A new wave of synthetic identity fraud is being engineered to pass onboarding and verification at scale, raising pressure on ID and KYC systems.

Cocoa Market Watch: The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) cut its 2024/25 global cocoa surplus estimate to 48,000 tonnes (from 75,000), citing updated production and grindings figures released from Abidjan—production rose 8.3% to 4.723m tonnes while grindings fell 3.8% to 4.628m tonnes, with stocks-to-grindings at 28.5%. Development Finance Push: The AfDB and Africa Social Security Association (ASSA) signed a Letter of Intent to strengthen long-term development financing, aiming to turn social security and pension funds into tools for sustainable development and infrastructure investment, aligned with the Abidjan Consensus. Mobility & Trade: ISUZU Motors South Africa began shipping the first new D-MAX units from its Gqeberha plant to dealerships across 30+ African markets, including Ivory Coast, targeting agriculture, mining, construction and logistics. Digital Identity & Ethics: An Ivorian Catholic bishop urged that technology serve humanity, warning against reducing people to data and algorithms. Business & IP for Creatives: IFC-backed Aninver Development Partners secured a contract to build an IP Reform Playbook for Africa’s creative industries, focusing on music, film, fashion and sport.

Cocoa Market Watch: The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) cut its 2024/25 global cocoa surplus estimate to 48,000 tonnes from 75,000 tonnes, citing updated data released from Abidjan on May 28; production rose 8.3% to 4.723m tonnes while grindings fell 3.8% to 4.628m tonnes, shifting the market from a 2023/24 deficit to a smaller surplus and lifting end-of-season stocks to 1.320m tonnes. Development Finance: The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Africa Social Security Association (ASSA) signed a Letter of Intent to strengthen long-term financing for social protection and pensions, aiming to turn these funds into tools for sustainable development and infrastructure investment, with a focus on mobilising domestic capital and regional integration. Digital Economy & IP: Aninver Development Partners won an IFC contract to build an IP Reform Playbook for Africa’s creative industries (music, film, fashion, sport), targeting better IP protection and monetisation to reduce value leakage. Business & Trade Context: AfCFTA was framed as a structural shift to boost intra-African trade and industrial value chains beyond tariff cuts, aiming to reverse fragmentation that keeps Africa exporting raw materials. World Cup Business Angle (Ivory Coast): Côte d’Ivoire’s World Cup presence is highlighted in Philadelphia’s match schedule, with Ivory Coast set to play Ecuador on June 14 and Curaçao on June 25.

Cocoa & FX Watch: Cocoa futures surged nearly 10% as Ivory Coast flooding, El Niño fears and Hormuz disruptions tightened global supply expectations, while reports also note cocoa output is set to rise in the 2025/26 season—good news for volumes, but farmers still face price shocks. Digital Economy Push: Orange Côte d’Ivoire and UNDP partnered to promote digital transformation and inclusion, aligning with broader moves to modernize how people access services and participate in the economy. Security & Finance Risks: A West Africa finance-security meeting in Abidjan flagged rising cybercrime and financial crime threats, warning they can hit investor confidence and disrupt development—an issue for regional business continuity. Creative Industries IP Reform: IFC engaged Aninver to develop an IP Reform Playbook for Africa’s creative sectors (music, film, fashion, sport), aiming to plug value leakage and help creators monetize rights more effectively. World Cup Business Angle: Côte d’Ivoire’s unbeaten, clean-sheet qualifying run keeps the Elephants in the spotlight, with the tournament also boosting attention on the country’s youth talent and potential tourism demand. Football Transfers (Local Talent): Yan Diomande’s reported €130m opening valuation underscores how Ivorian stars are becoming global assets—good for brand value and future investment narratives.

Cocoa & Climate Risk: Cocoa futures surged nearly 10% as flooding in Côte d’Ivoire, El Niño fears and Hormuz-related disruptions tightened global supply expectations, keeping price pressure front and center for West African producers. Development Finance Push: At AfDB/WEF meetings in Brazzaville, leaders unveiled new frameworks to close Africa’s roughly US$400bn financing gap and mobilise private capital, alongside a push to connect 300 million people to reliable electricity by 2030. Digital Identity & Cybersecurity: A West Africa finance minister warned that terrorism financing, cybercrime and illicit transactions are undermining investor confidence, while data protection regulators stress that digital ID must be backed by strong privacy and cybersecurity safeguards. Côte d’Ivoire at the World Cup: Côte d’Ivoire heads to the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the back of an unbeaten, clean-sheet qualifying run, with the sport credited for helping build peace and unity after years of conflict. Business-Adjacent Tech & Trade: Shipping data shows Asia-to-Africa container volumes jumped 27% in 2025, highlighting Côte d’Ivoire’s wider logistics and trade tailwinds as cargo flows shift.

Oil & Gas Investment: Eni and partners have approved Phase 3 of the Baleine project off Côte d’Ivoire, lifting output to 150,000 bpd of oil and 200m cubic feet/day of gas, with all gas earmarked for the domestic market to support power generation and industrial growth. Cocoa Market Shock: Cocoa futures jumped nearly 10% as flooding in Côte d’Ivoire, El Niño fears and Hormuz-related disruptions reignited supply worries, while farmers still face price pressure. Digital Economy & Privacy: Mauritius’ data protection chief warns that digital ID rollouts across Africa must be built on data protection and cybersecurity, not treated as afterthoughts—an issue relevant to Côte d’Ivoire’s broader digital transformation push. Business & Trade Logistics: MSC says Africa recorded the fastest growth in cargo volumes from Asia in 2025, with shipments from Asia to Africa up 27%, driven by shifting supply chains and improving currencies in countries including Ghana. World Cup & Consumer Pressure: Côte d’Ivoire’s World Cup run is also a business story—fans’ spending power and ticketing risks are in focus as scams target tournament travel and digital ticketing.

Poverty & Development Diplomacy: Indonesia renewed its commitment to global poverty alleviation as it took the deputy chair role at China-initiated GPPAD, sharing a village-driven development model that includes cooperatives, health checks and nutritious meals. Digital ID & Privacy: Mauritius’ data protection chief warned that digital identity systems must not run in a legal vacuum, stressing privacy and cybersecurity as core requirements for safe rollout. Energy & Investment (Côte d’Ivoire): Eni and partners approved the final investment decision for Baleine Phase 3, aiming to lift oil output to 150,000 bpd and gas to 200 MMcfd, with all gas allocated to the domestic market. Cocoa Market Shock: Cocoa futures jumped nearly 10% as Ivory Coast flooding and El Niño fears met Hormuz-related disruptions, raising concerns for near-term supply. World Cup Business Angle: A World Cup ticket and lodging scam alert warns fans about fake sites, cloned rentals and phishing, with legitimate tickets typically delivered via the FIFA app. Regional Macro: The AfDB expects Africa’s growth to slow to 4.2% amid Middle East war-driven food, fuel and fertilizer pressures, before a rebound in 2027. Football & Local Economy: Côte d’Ivoire’s World Cup run is framed as a peace and unity story, while the tournament’s affordability debate highlights how kit prices strain household budgets across West Africa.

AfDB Outlook: The African Development Bank says Africa’s growth will slow to 4.2% in 2026 (from 4.4% in 2025), blaming Middle East-linked shocks that lift fuel and food costs, while warning development needs are outpacing available financing. Energy & Industry (Côte d’Ivoire): Eni and partners have approved the final investment decision for Baleine Phase 3, a major offshore expansion that would lift oil output from 60,000 to 150,000 bpd and gas from 80 to 200 MMcfd, with all gas allocated to the domestic market to support power generation and local industry. Cocoa Market: Cocoa futures jumped nearly 10% as Ivory Coast flooding disrupted access to farms, while El Niño fears and Hormuz disruptions added pressure. Mining (Côte d’Ivoire): Kobo Resources reported new high-grade gold drill results at its Kossou project (Kossou Gold Project), including intersections at the Jagger and Road Cut zones, reinforcing expansion potential. Sports & Business (Côte d’Ivoire): Liverpool’s pursuit of Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande faces resistance from RB Leipzig, with a contract dispute now under scrutiny—an issue that could affect transfer costs and timing for Ivorian talent exports.

World Cup Access Clash: Massachusetts honoured Haitian star Frantzdy Pierrot with “Frantzdy Pierrot Day,” but Haiti’s fans are still blocked by a U.S. travel ban that limits entry for many supporters—hurting morale and local spending ahead of Haiti’s 2026 debut. Côte d’Ivoire Energy Push: Eni, Petroci and Vitol approved the $4bn Baleine Phase 3 FID in Abidjan, targeting oil output to rise from 60,000 to 150,000 bpd and gas from 80 to 200 mcf/d, with gas routed to the domestic market. Cocoa Pressure Point: Cocoa rains are improving in key regions, yet farmers face a major price shock after the government cut the fixed farmgate price for the mid-crop by 57% to 1,200 CFA/kg. Regional Macro Watch: The AfDB expects Africa’s growth to slow to 4.2% this year as Middle East tensions lift fuel and food costs.

AfDB Outlook: Africa’s growth is expected to slow to 4.2% this year as Middle East tensions push up fuel and food costs, with a rebound forecast for 2027. Energy Deal in Côte d’Ivoire: Eni and partners have approved the final investment decision for Baleine Phase 3, a $4bn offshore expansion that would lift oil output from 60,000 to 150,000 bpd and gas from 80 to 200 mcf/d, with gas earmarked for the domestic market. Gold Drilling Update: Kobo Resources says new Kossou (Kossou Gold Project) drilling at Kossou in Côte d’Ivoire continues to confirm high-grade gold mineralisation along strike and at depth. World Cup Buzz (Canada): Canada’s World Cup schedule is out, including Germany vs Côte d’Ivoire in Toronto on 20 June. Football Watch: South Korea midfielder Hwang In-beom says he’s almost back to full health ahead of the tournament. Cocoa Context: Côte d’Ivoire cocoa production is forecast to rise 10.5% in 2025/26, but farmers still face price pressure.