On the sidelines of the African Open Government Conference in Rabat, the Ivorian Minister of Trade, Industry and Handicrafts, Kalil Konaté , conducted a strategic mission on May 6 and 7, 2026. Accompanied by a delegation from SOGEDI , the Minister examined Moroccan success models to accelerate the industrial transformation of Côte d'Ivoire.

1. CIMAF: Vertical integration and the green transition

The first stop took the delegation to the CIMAF complex in Ben Ahmed (Settat Province). This site embodies the competitiveness strategy of the cement group, which operates in 12 African countries.

1. The winning model: Total integration from limestone extraction (adjacent quarry) to clinker production. Result: drastically reduced logistics costs.
2. Sustainable ambition: The group impressed with its energy balance, with 86% of its needs covered by wind power, supplemented by waste recovery.
3. Heading towards Bouaké: Already established in Abidjan and San Pedro, CIMAF has confirmed its intention to build a third cement plant in Bouaké to serve the center and north of Ivory Coast.

2. Tangier Med: A global hub as a benchmark

On May 7th, the delegation visited the Tanger Med complex, a leading port in Africa and the Mediterranean. A true ecosystem spanning 3,000 hectares, the site connects Morocco to 180 ports worldwide.

1. An engine of employment: With 1,500 companies and 145,000 jobs created, Tanger Med is a model of integration between free zones and logistics platforms.
2. Automotive focus: The visit to the KOSTAL Morocco factory illustrated the effectiveness of technology transfer, with the company exporting 95% of its automotive component production to the world's largest manufacturers.

Towards a SOGEDI - Tanger Med partnership

Based on these observations, Minister Kalil Konaté laid the groundwork for future collaboration between SOGEDI (Ivory Coast) and Tanger Med .

The objective: To establish a strategic partnership to modernize Ivorian logistics infrastructure and build a competitive national industrial model, directly inspired by Moroccan know-how.