Joint statement by Canada and Côte d’Ivoire: A growing partnership
Canada and Côte d’Ivoire signed a memorandum to formalize regular bilateral consultations, reinforcing trade and investment ties that reached Can$1.2 billion in 2025.
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During a meeting in Abidjan on August 6, 2026, Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand and Côte d’Ivoire’s Foreign Minister Nialé Kaba signed a memorandum establishing a bilateral consultation mechanism. The framework aims to institutionalize regular dialogue on shared priorities, including economic cooperation, infrastructure, and regional stability. Both ministers emphasized the mechanism’s role in ensuring a structured and predictable partnership between the two countries.
The ministers highlighted record bilateral trade of Can$1.2 billion in 2025, driven by increased Canadian investment in Côte d’Ivoire. They noted FinDev Canada’s Can$65 million commitment to NSIA Banque to expand financial services for Ivorian SMEs, particularly women-led businesses. The funding targets infrastructure development, productive capacity building, and access to West Africa’s regional market, aligning with Côte d’Ivoire’s National Development Plan 2026–2030.
Canada and Côte d’Ivoire agreed to deepen collaboration in mining, agriculture, infrastructure, energy, digital technology, and the green economy. The ministers committed to promoting responsible investment, joint ventures, technology transfer, and local value chain development. They also pledged to align economic cooperation with Côte d’Ivoire’s development priorities and Canada’s Africa Strategy to identify high-impact projects benefiting both nations.
The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to international law, multilateralism, and the UN’s role in peace and sustainable development. They highlighted joint contributions to regional stability, including participation in peacekeeping initiatives and counterterrorism efforts. Both sides agreed to expand cooperation in cybersecurity, maritime security, and institutional capacity building, while maintaining regular dialogue to elevate the partnership to a strategic level.