Ivory Coast and the Central African Republic agreed on Thursday, October 8, 2026, in Abidjan to establish a lasting dialogue between their ministries in charge of Planning. The agreement in principle was announced following a meeting between the Ivorian minister Souleymane Diarrassouba and his Central African counterpart Marc Mandaba.
The two officials wish to continue technical exchanges on the preparation and monitoring of national development plans. Bangui is particularly interested in the Ivorian experience gained since 2012 through three successive planning cycles.
Souleymane Diarrassouba presented the Ivorian NDP 2026-2030, which plans for 114,838.5 billion CFA francs in investments. The government expects 70.2 percent of this amount from the private sector, while the consultative group convened in July secured 47,820 billion CFA francs in financing commitments.
The Central African Republic is implementing an NDP covering the period 2024-2028. This document structures its priorities around peace and security, economic diversification, human capital, governance, and environmental sustainability.
The meeting also focused on the development of trade exchanges between the two countries. The Ivorian minister proposed examining these possibilities within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
No schedule of meetings or quantified joint project has yet been made public. The announced mechanism must first organize regular contacts between administrations and identify the areas in which the Ivorian experience can be adapted to Central African priorities.
