National Development Plan (PND) 2026–2030: Minister Souleymane Diarrassouba Presents Key Objectives

Souleymane Diarrassouba stated that the implementation of Côte d’Ivoire’s National Development Plan (PND) 2026–2030, which requires an estimated investment of 114.838 trillion FCFA over the period, is built around several key objectives.

Speaking during the presentation of the PND to the press on Friday, May 22, 2026, in Abidjan-Plateau, the minister said the country’s economic growth rate is expected to rise from 6.5% in 2025 to 7.6% by 2030, while the poverty rate should fall below 20%.

He added that the debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to decrease from 57% in 2025 to 54.8% in 2030, remaining well below the 70% threshold set by the West African Economic and Monetary Union.

Life expectancy at birth is also expected to exceed 65 years.

In the health sector, infant mortality is projected to decline from 52 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021 to fewer than 35 per 1,000.

Regarding employment, the workforce is expected to increase from 11.5 million to 14 million people, while the number of formal jobs created should rise from more than 1.5 million to over 3 million.

The Human Capital Index is also projected to improve significantly, increasing from 0.38 in 2019 to 0.7.

To achieve these targets, Souleymane Diarrassouba explained that the PND 2026–2030 is based on six strategic pillars: sustainable peace, security and stability; modernization of agriculture, strengthening rural land security, increasing productivity and agricultural value chains; promotion of private investment, national champions and reduction of informality; development of human capital, skills and decent jobs; development of strategic infrastructure and regional economic hubs, ecological transition, climate resilience and the circular economy; and the promotion of good governance and state modernization.

According to the minister, these pillars are supported by major transformation drivers.

“These include a substantial improvement in agricultural productivity, accelerated human capital development, the promotion of private investment, the large-scale use of digital technology and artificial intelligence, the transition to a green and resilient economy, as well as the development of regional economic hubs and secondary cities,” he noted.