A delegation of around twenty Tunisian companies began a multisector economic mission in Abidjan on Monday, March 30, 2026. The initiative, organized by CONECT International, the international branch of the Tunisian Confederation of Citizen Enterprises, will run until April 1, 2026.
According to CONECT, the mission is part of a strategic effort to expand Tunisian companies’ presence in high-potential Sub-Saharan markets. It also reflects growing interest among Tunisian economic operators in West Africa, a region marked by sustained growth and a dynamic investment climate.
Côte d’Ivoire, the economic engine of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), boasts a GDP exceeding $100 billion and one of the continent’s highest growth rates—between 6% and 7% in recent years—driven by major investments in infrastructure, energy, and services.
Trade between Tunisia and Côte d’Ivoire has been steadily increasing, though significant untapped potential remains. Côte d’Ivoire is Tunisia’s leading export destination in Sub-Saharan Africa and ranks fourth across the entire continent.
Tunisian exports to the Ivorian market are mainly concentrated in agricultural inputs, fertilizers, phosphate, pharmaceuticals, construction materials (including white cement), agri-food products, and services such as ICT, education, and healthcare—offering strong prospects for diversification and upgrading.
The delegation, largely composed of SMEs with strong internationalization potential, spans a wide range of strategic sectors, including chemicals and plastic packaging, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, agri-food industries, LED lighting, electrical transformers, construction and metalworks, renewable energy, education and vocational training, digital technologies and services, as well as consulting and engineering firms.
According to the organizers, this diversity reflects a clear ambition to develop integrated partnerships, ranging from exports to investment and co-development of high value-added projects.
The mission’s agenda includes ministerial meetings, targeted B2B sessions, and exchanges with key Ivorian institutions and support structures, particularly those involved in investment, trade, and business development. It also features company visits and the sharing of success stories highlighting Tunisian expertise abroad, including those of SOROUBAT Group & Nourmony Holding, Al Badr Group & ECOTI SA, STUDI International, and GOMYCODE.
