Côte d’Ivoire to Host 19th US-Africa Business Summit in 2027

On 21 September 2026, the US-Cote d’Ivoire Business Forum took place in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (#UNGA81). The event was jointly organized by the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Côte d’Ivoire (CCICI).

Other than the President of CCA Florizelle Liser and the President of the CCICI Faman Toure, several high officials from both countries also attended the event. US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Frank Garcia, Ivorian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Kaba Niale, and Minister of Commerce and Industry Souleymane Diarrassouba were present.

During the Forum, it was announced that Côte d’Ivoire will host the 19th US-Africa Business Summit 2027 (#UABS). This decision marks a milestone as it will be the very first time that the Summit will take place in a Francophone country in Africa.

Senior Ivorian officials outlined the Côte d’Ivoire National Development Plan (NDP) 2026-2030. The #NDP seeks to propel Côte d’Ivoire into a middle-income country. It positions Côte d’Ivoire as the gateway to West Africa and targets attracting USD 80 billion in investments not only in Côte d’Ivoire but across the region. To do so, it identifies seven industrial clusters: Agroindustry, Pharmaceutical, Construction Materials, Petrochemical, Textile, Vehicle Assembly, and Packaging.

Several US private sector companies were also in attendance, including Cybastion, Starlink, and Zipline. In addition to the Côte d’Ivoire Chamber of Commerce, the General Confederation of Ivorian Enterprises and the Center for Promotion of Investment of Côte d’Ivoire (CEPICI) also participated in the Forum.

The CCA and CCICI also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to join hands in bolstering economic partnerships and bilateral trade. Assistant Secretary reiterated the Trump Administration’s ‘doctrinal rupture’ for Africa to spur ‘Trade, Not Aid’.