The Africa Development Club Successfully Completes Its 43rd Multisector Mission in Abidjan
A Strategic Meeting for “Made in Côte d’Ivoire”
The Club Afrique Développement (CAD) of the Attijariwafa Bank Group and the Ivorian Banking Company (SIB) successfully held the 43rd multisectoral mission on December 4-5 in Abidjan, themed “Made in Côte d’Ivoire, Made for Africa.” The event, presided over by Kobenan Kouassi Adjoumani, Minister of State representing the Prime Minister, brought together over 300 business leaders and institutional representatives from 14 African countries, aiming to strengthen South-South cooperation.
Strong Pan-African Participation
Delegations from Congo, Gabon, Egypt, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Togo, and Tunisia were accompanied by subsidiaries of Attijariwafa Bank. Several CEOs led their delegations, including Mouawia Essekelli (AWB Egypt), Mounir Ibrahim (Attijari Bank Mauritania), Larbi Allabouch (Gabonese Banking Union), and Amine Kittane (International Bank for Mali). Other countries were represented by teams from Crédit du Congo, Attijariwafa Bank Morocco, CBAO Senegal, Crédit du Sénégal, BIAT Togo, and Attijari Bank Tunisia.
An Official Ceremony Marked by Strong Interventions
The opening ceremony featured speeches from Mohamed El Ghazi, General Director of the SIB, Mouna Kadiri, Director of CAD, and Dr. Souleymane Diarrassouba, Minister of Commerce and Industry. Minister of State Kobenan Kouassi Adjoumani delivered a highly anticipated address, emphasizing the strategic significance of the event.
Lessons and Perspectives on “Made in Côte d’Ivoire”
In his remarks, Mohamed El Ghazi highlighted the importance of the theme, underscoring the necessity for Côte d’Ivoire to meet domestic demand while aiming for international export standards. He lauded the role of the Attijariwafa Bank Group in consolidating inter-subsidiary synergies and encouraged participants to leverage the opportunities offered by South-South cooperation.
Mr. Adjoumani reaffirmed the Ivorian government’s commitment to industrialization, enhancing business competitiveness, and attracting investments. He asserted that this mission is fully aligned with the aspiration of a “Made in Côte d’Ivoire” directed towards the African market.
Facilitation, Networking, and a Pan-African Vision
Mouna Kadiri reiterated the essential role of the Club Afrique Développement: to facilitate networking, promote the flow of economic information, and build solid bridges between the continent’s business ecosystems.
Key Institutional and Economic Highlights
The event included a presentation of the New Investment Code, followed by a panel featuring prominent figures from the African economy:
Ahmed Baya (CHEMAL HOLDING)
Daouda Coulibaly (Attijari West Africa)
Fatoumata Fofana (ZLECAf Côte d’Ivoire)
Jean-Pierre Carpentier (Groupe PORTEO)
Over 500 B2B Meetings: A Very Positive Outcome
The 43rd mission concluded with particularly fruitful results, featuring over 500 B2B meetings organized for participating companies. These exchanges confirm the growing interest in intra-African opportunities and the relevance of the cooperative model promoted by Attijariwafa Bank and the SIB.
Visit to the TRANSCAO Complex, a Giant in Agro-Industry
Participants also visited TRANSCAO, the largest cocoa processing complex in West Africa, covering over 21 hectares and featuring:
a grinding factory with a capacity of 50,000 tons,
a warehouse with a capacity of 160,000 tons,
a training center dedicated to cocoa and chocolate professions.
