Côte d’Ivoire will host the 5th edition of the Qatar-Africa Business Forum on November 2 and 3, 2026, in Abidjan, a major economic event that will bring together 95 Qatari companies, more than 300 economic actors, investors, representatives of the World Bank, as well as major international institutions. This meeting aims to strengthen economic exchanges, investments, and partnerships between Qatar and African countries.
As part of the preparations for this important event, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Crafts, Kalil Konaté, received in audience on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, His Excellency Mubarak Hussain Al Marri, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Côte d’Ivoire, accompanied by the Second Secretary of the Embassy, Rachid Al Meqareh.
During the discussions, the Ambassador recalled that this meeting is part of the shared will to strengthen economic relations between Côte d’Ivoire and Qatar. “The Embassy is here to strengthen relations between our two countries, particularly in the commercial field. Despite the excellence of our diplomatic relations, we aim to increase the volume of trade exchanges between our states,” he said. He also stressed that both countries already benefit from a solid cooperation framework, marked by the entry into force in 2021 of a memorandum of economic understanding, as well as the signing on June 10, 2026, of an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation, aimed at promoting investments and facilitating exchanges between economic operators of both countries.
The Qatar-Africa Business Forum will focus on several strategic sectors, including agriculture, agro-industry, industry, infrastructure, logistics, technologies, innovation, hospitality, the creative economy, fashion, crafts, cinema, and food production. On this occasion, 95 Qatari companies, leading investors, and several international partners will engage with African economic actors to develop sustainable partnerships and create new business opportunities.
Expressing satisfaction with Côte d’Ivoire’s selection to host this fifth edition, Minister Kalil Konaté reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to making this forum a true lever for industrial development. “We will do everything possible to ensure that Côte d’Ivoire derives the greatest benefit from this event. Our ambition is to make our country an industrial hub by developing economic zones across the 14 districts in order to locally transform our raw materials. I invite Qatari companies to invest in Côte d’Ivoire, a preferred destination for investors,” the Minister stated, assuring Ambassador Mubarak Hussain Al Marri of the full mobilization of his teams to ensure the success of this event, which will open new prospects for economic and industrial cooperation between Côte d’Ivoire, Qatar, and the African continent as a whole.