Country profile Côte d'Ivoire
Population: 27 million
Area: 322,463 km² (8 times the size of the Netherlands)
GDP growth: 6.2% (2019)
Head of state: President Alassane Dramane Ouattara
NABC and Côte d'Ivoire
NABC organised a webinar about doing business in Côte d’Ivoire on April 30th, 2020. The recording is available via our YouTube channel.
In Nov-Dec 2019, NABC coordinated two trade missions to the SARA (Salon de l’Agriculture et des Ressources Animales) in Abidjan: one in collaboration with Hortifresh and Inclsve (horticulture) and one in collaboration with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and the Dutch Embassy in Abidjan (poultry and horticulture).
In November 2018, NABC coordinated an agricultural trade mission to Côte d’Ivoire at the AgroFood West Africa, commissioned by RVO.
NABC has also conducted a study on business opportunities for the Dutch private sector in the Ivorian poultry sector (published in November 2019, click here to read the report).
Similarly, NABC also provided input for a study on the business opportunities for the Dutch private sector in the Ivorian horticulture sector (published in June 2018, click here to read the report).
From the 8th to the 17th of March 2022, a sourcing mission will take place in Ghana and Côte D’Ivoire. The visit will allow you to meet reliable suppliers of fresh and processed fruit from this rapidly developing region.
Investment climate
‘For the last 5 years, Cote d’Ivoire’s growth rate has been among the highest in the world,’ according to the CIA’s World Factbook. Agriculture and horticulture offer the greatest opportunities, as well as port development (Abidjan and San Pedro). The agricultural sector is growing. Côte d’Ivoire’s main export products are oil, cocoa and coffee. Sectors that contribute the most to national GDP in 2017 are services (53%), industry (27%) and agriculture (20%) (CIA).
The maritime sectors, as well as fruits and vegetables are also compelling. The local processing of agricultural products is growing. The country has had a stable growth of around 7% for a number of years. The country has seen an improvement in business climate, a relatively calm political situation and a growing number of investments. While doing business in Côte d’Ivoire, good knowledge of French is important. One of the challenges to be aware of are high price fluctuations, while production depends on climatic conditions.
Diplomatic relations
Netherlands
Embassy
The Netherlands is represented in Côte d’Ivoire via its embassy in the capital Abidjan led by Ambassador Ms. Yvette Daoud.
More information (Dutch): https://www.nederlandwereldwijd.nl/landen/ivoorkust/over-ons/nederlandse-ambassade-in-abidjan
More information (English): https://www.netherlandsandyou.nl/your-country-and-the-netherlands/cote-divoire
Embassy
Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d’Ivoire is represented in the Netherlands via its embassy in The Hague, led by Ambassador Mr. Sallah Ben Abdelkader Hamza.