Gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, on May 15 and 16 for the Africa CEO Forum 2026 , the continent's economic decision-makers witnessed a diplomatic and economic offensive by Côte d'Ivoire. During the panel dedicated to " Invest in Côte d'Ivoire ," Kalil Konaté, Minister of Trade, Industry, and Handicrafts, detailed the national strategy to transform the Ivorian economy into a key industrial hub.

The PND: A compass for investors

For the minister, the clarity of the political vision is the country's greatest asset. He reiterated that the National Development Plan (NDP) forms the basis upon which all government action rests.

"The state's priority projects are clearly listed there. It is our compass for strengthening the country's attractiveness," he explained.

From bean to tablet: The challenge of transformation

While Côte d'Ivoire dominates the global cocoa and cashew markets, Kalil Konaté believes it is time to take a new technological step. The objective is clear: to move from simple extraction to the creation of added value .

1. Cocoa: Moving beyond the stage of grinder to become a major producer of finished chocolate.
2. Cashew: Intensify local processing to capture more wealth.
3. Import substitution: Encouraging the private sector to produce locally everything that is currently imported, through tailored state support.

A quantified ambition: 30% of GDP

The Ivorian government is not content with mere wishful thinking. The minister used this platform to announce a major structural growth objective:

Indicator	Current state	Objective (5 years)
Industry's share of GDP	Approximately 20%	30%

A united government front

This plea for accelerated industrialization was made jointly with other figures in the executive branch, notably Souleymane Diarrassouba . Together, they reiterated the State's commitment to continuously improving the business climate in order to reassure and attract international private capital.