Côte d’Ivoire – WFP Cooperation: Minister Souleymane Diarrassouba Calls for Increased Resource Mobilization for the 2026–2030 NDP

The Minister of Planning and Development, Dr. Souleymane Diarrassouba, received Ms. Olivia Hantz, Country Representative and Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) in Côte d’Ivoire, at his office in the SCIAM building in Plateau.

This introductory meeting provided an opportunity to review the cooperation between Côte d’Ivoire and the UN agency and to explore new prospects, particularly within the framework of the 2026–2030 National Development Plan (NDP).

Minister Souleymane Diarrassouba praised the quality of the partnership with WFP and expressed the expectations of the Ivorian Government. “We expect a great deal from WFP in terms of resource mobilization for the 2026–2030 NDP,” he stated. He also emphasized the importance of supporting the resilience of small agricultural enterprises, while recalling the support provided under the 2019–2025 Country Strategic Plan (CSP), which was funded at USD 80 million.

He further stressed the coordinating role of his Ministry, stating that “our role is to coordinate development actions in collaboration with sectoral ministries.” In the education sector, Dr. Souleymane Diarrassouba called on WFP for increased support, particularly through the construction of school canteens. “We invite WFP to support the construction of canteens, given that many schools will be built more than 10,000 classrooms and therefore more students,” he noted. He added that “we would like assistance to be aligned with national priorities,” before reaffirming the Government’s commitment to strengthening this partnership.

In response, Ms. Olivia Hantz reiterated WFP’s commitment to supporting Côte d’Ivoire’s development priorities. She announced “a new strategic plan aligned with our priorities,” the 2026–2030 Country Strategic Plan (CSP), with a budget of USD 52.5 million, focusing on “the development of local sourcing and local products for school canteen supply.” She also highlighted “human capital strengthening” and “greater agility in financing,” ensuring more effective interventions.

The WFP Country Representative and Director in Côte d’Ivoire welcomed the strong relationship with the Ivorian authorities and reaffirmed the commitment to excellent collaboration in achieving shared results.