A delegation of Italian investors was received on October 15 by the Prime Minister, Robert Beugré Mambé, on the sidelines of the first Forum on investment in Côte d'Ivoire. The mission was led by the Ambassador of Italy, Roberta Di Lecce. At the heart of the discussions was a clear demand. Investors wish to benefit from the support of the Ivorian authorities in order to facilitate the realization of their projects. According to the Italian diplomat, this approach aims to create tangible results for businesses in both countries. “We hope that with the support of His Excellency the Prime Minister and the government of Côte d'Ivoire, we will really make progress on the ground and we will have concrete results,” pleaded Ambassador Roberta Di Lecce.This meeting goes beyond the simple diplomatic framework. It is part of the Mattei Plan, the strategy implemented by Italy to strengthen its economic presence in Africa. In this system, Ivory Coast is among the priority countries. The Italian authorities wish to put their financial resources and expertise at the service of the priorities defined by the National Development Plan 2026-2030. This convergence of interests mainly concerns energy, agriculture, agri-food and infrastructure. The choice of Ivory Coast is not trivial. With its position as an economic locomotive in West Africa, the country constitutes a strategic market for European companies looking for new growth drivers.

Economic exchanges already solid

Economic relations between Abidjan and Rome already rest on concrete foundations. During the forum, it was revealed that trade between the two countries reached 829 million euros in 2025. This volume represents an increase of 11% compared to 2024. The Ivorian authorities now want to take a new step. The objective is to attract more productive investments capable of supporting the local processing of raw materials and the creation of industrial jobs.

Faced with this ambition, Italy is showing its desire to play a more active role.For Abidjan, the challenge is to convert this political will into industrial, agricultural and energy projects capable of supporting the implementation of the PND 2026-2030. For Rome, Ivory Coast now appears as one of the gateways to its economic strategy on the African continent.