Financial Operation: Côte d’Ivoire and IFC Agree on Implementation Terms for the 2026–2030 NDP

The Minister of Planning and Development, Souleymane Diarrassouba, met on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, with Josiane Kwenda, Country Representative of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, to discuss financing arrangements for the 2026–2030 National Development Plan (NDP).

The discussions focused primarily on funding the NDP, with particular emphasis on private sector support in its implementation. Kwenda congratulated Minister Diarrassouba on his appointment and stressed the strategic importance of the NDP 2026–2030 for the World Bank Group, highlighting the crucial role of the private sector in achieving national development ambitions.

She reaffirmed IFC’s commitment to supporting Côte d’Ivoire in financing and implementing the plan, notably through strong backing of local champions in collaboration with the Ivorian private sector. She also announced the upcoming official visit of IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop, scheduled for March 22–25.

The meeting was also attended by Marie-Chantal Uwanyiligira, World Bank Division Director for Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Guinea, and Togo (West and Central Africa Region). She commended Côte d’Ivoire’s national development policy and officially submitted reference notes to the Minister covering strategic sectors such as energy, agriculture, health, and social protection — areas expected to benefit from increased support from technical and financial partners.

For his part, Minister Diarrassouba underscored the importance of the World Bank in Côte d’Ivoire’s economic development and expressed the wish for the institution to expand its portfolio in support of the NDP 2026–2030. He noted that, thanks to World Bank support, the overall volume of the National Development Plan significantly increased from 59,000 billion FCFA to 114,838.5 billion FCFA. He praised the quality of cooperation between Côte d’Ivoire and the World Bank, describing it as a strong and strategic partnership.

IFC, the International Finance Corporation, is the private sector arm of the World Bank Group. It is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector in emerging markets. IFC mobilizes capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries.

Over the past five years, the World Bank Group has committed more than USD 8.5 billion in financing to Côte d’Ivoire, supporting both public and private sector projects.