Adama Coulibaly, Ivory Coast’s Minister of Finance and Economy, and Lara Muller, Director Public Sector at Invest International – on behalf of the Dutch Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Liesje Schreinemacher – signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the SARA 2023 agricultural fair in Abidjan. “With this partnership, the Netherlands, through Invest International, wants to co-create solutions with the Ivorian government and private sector to contribute to the socio-economic development and prosperity of Ivory Coast,” says Lara Muller.
The MoU includes the provision to the Ivorian counterpart of a concessional financing package of €300 million in grants and loans to finance the development of essential public infrastructure projects in Ivory Coast on a broad range of impact areas such as access to drinking water, urban mobility, agroforestry, coastal protection, and healthcare.
Ivory Coast and Invest International will jointly develop these long-term projects under Invest International’s investment umbrella on behalf of the Dutch Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The MoU projects aim to:
On the picture after the signing: Director Public Sector at Invest International Lara Muller, Ivory Coast’s Minister of Finance and Economy Adama Coulibaly and Ambassador designate to Ivory Coast Jeroen Kelderhuis.
The MoU is essential to the combination tracks of Foreign Trade and Development (BHOS policy). The infrastructure development in Ivory Coast contributes to strengthening the (trade) relations between the two countries. Ivory Coast is an important trade partner of the Netherlands, particularly concerning the export of cocoa beans, as The Netherlands is the world’s largest importer of cocoa beans.
The agreement also aligns with the priorities of the European Global Gateway for sustainable and trusted connections that work for people and the planet.
The MoU is related to essential public infrastructure projects in Ivory Coast on a broad range of impact areas such as access to drinking water, urban mobility, agroforestry, coastal protection, and healthcare.
The SARA 2023 fair focuses on innovative structural solutions to help African agriculture face local and global challenges and ensure food sovereignity. The signing of the MoU took place on October 2, when the Netherlands was recognised as a country of honour for its role as leading food exporter and a provider of innovative solutions for the agricultural transition.
Nontas Papadimitriou
Senior Investment Manager
Send an email
