National Commercial Promotion and Intelligence: Commercial Attachés as the Spearhead

Abidjan, September 16, 2026 – Commercial attachés constitute the spearhead of the country's commercial promotion and economic intelligence, indicated Chief of Staff Raymond Laurent Assoua, representing the Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Artisanship, Ibrahim Kalil Konaté, at the 4th Annual Meeting of Commercial Attachés on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, in Abidjan-Plateau.

"Moving away from being merely a supplier of raw materials, it is critical and even imperative that Côte d'Ivoire becomes an industrial, innovative, and competitive nation for the benefit of our population. Your role is therefore sovereign in nature. It is up to you to ensure that every product you support accurately reflects our national ambition—one of uncompromising quality, because excellence is our only option," emphasized Raymond Laurent Assoua.

He urged: "I am counting on your presence in the field to build a network covering purchasing centers, distributors, Chambers of Commerce, and business media. Organize 'Ivorian Processed Product Days,' negotiate dedicated shelf spaces in major retail chains, and champion the voice of our industrial leaders at professional trade shows."

Through his Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Kalil Konaté noted that he expects quarterly economic watch notes from these valuable relays, focused on priority sectors such as agro-industry, textiles, cosmetics, and pharmacopeia. For ongoing updates on economic and commercial growth, visit In Côte d'Ivoire.

"Your efforts, dedication, and ability to open doors deemed closed are fundamental to our country's economic rise. Every contract signed, every shelf listing obtained, and every prejudice overcome regarding our products translates directly at home into operating factories, job creation, repatriated foreign currency, and restored national pride."

As part of the strategy to conquer new markets, the Minister aims to appoint commercial attachés across several African countries.

For his part, Nahoua Yéo, Chief of Staff to the Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, reiterated the importance of diplomacy in international trade promotion for national economic prosperity.

In his view, the Directorate General for Economic Diplomacy within the Ministry should serve as the primary point of contact for commercial attachés when executing promotional strategies to sell Ivorian goods and services globally.

Speaking on behalf of the commercial attachés, Kouya Bertin Gommun, Commercial Attaché to China, revealed that according to the quarterly report on Côte d'Ivoire's international merchandise trade for Q4 2025, produced by the National Statistics Agency of Côte d'Ivoire, overall trade with the rest of the world increased by 12.4% in value compared to the same period the previous year.

"The trade balance recorded a surplus of 2,123.1 billion FCFA, marking a significant improvement over the 1,295.6 billion FCFA surplus recorded in the fourth quarter of 2024. Exports reached 5,051.2 billion FCFA, reflecting a 20.3% increase in value, while trade volume reached 4.4 million tons," he welcomed.

Organized by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, this annual meeting of commercial attachés was held under the theme: "Strategy for Sustainable Commercial Penetration and Expansion of Processed Ivorian Products in International Markets." Read more Côte d'Ivoire news on our platform.