The Ivorian entrepreneurial landscape is flourishing. On December 17, 2025, the residence of the Dutch ambassador in Abidjan hosted a ceremony honoring 79 young agripreneurs . These individuals successfully completed their incubation within Orange Corners , a program dedicated to fostering a new generation of business leaders.

A springboard for local innovation

Initiated in 2019 by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and operated by the firm Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners (ESP) , Orange Corners targets strategic sectors for sustainable development:

1. Agri-food sector (Horticulture and Cocoa for this promotion)
2. Renewable Energy and the Environment
3. Transport and Logistics
4. Smart Cities and Infrastructure

A strategic partnership for employment

The ceremony took place in the presence of Mamadou Touré , Minister of Youth Promotion, who praised the project's direct impact on employability. The Minister stated that this international collaboration is a key driver for wealth creation and unemployment reduction.

"This program actively contributes to our national priority: the socio-professional integration of young people," he said.

For his part, Ambassador Jeroen Kelderhuis reaffirmed the Netherlands' commitment to aligning the skills of young Ivorians with the real needs of the private sector, in a "win-win" partnership approach.

Towards resilient growth

Eric Kacou , CEO of ESP, reiterated that the ultimate ambition is to build resilient SMEs capable of meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This message resonated strongly with the award recipients, such as Kouman Francis and Bamba Rachida, who see this certification as the beginning of a new era for their respective projects.