- The OPEC Fund launched a mission to Côte d’Ivoire to expand cooperation with the AfDB and scale development financing in Africa.
- Both institutions signed an MoU amendment and advanced co-financing efforts to support long-term growth.
The OPEC Fund for International Development has launched an official mission to Côte d’Ivoire, led by President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, to deepen cooperation with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and advance joint support for sustainable development across Africa.
During the mission, the AfDB and the OPEC Fund convened a Partnership Day at the Bank’s headquarters, bringing together senior leadership to reinforce collaboration and align development priorities. President Alkhalifa and AfDB President Sidi Ould Tah held bilateral talks. They signed an amendment to their existing MoU, expanding the framework for cooperation on public and private sector operations, co-financing, and knowledge exchange.
President Alkhalifa stated that Africa remained central to the OPEC Fund’s mandate, noting that coordination with the AfDB had evolved into a more strategic partnership focused on accelerating project delivery and supporting country-led development objectives. He said deeper cooperation would scale solutions and improve outcomes for communities across the continent.
The AfDB and the OPEC Fund have collaborated for nearly five decades, jointly supporting approximately 120 projects across various sectors, including energy, transport, agriculture, water, health, education, and finance, with a total co-financing of roughly US$1.5 billion.
The mission also emphasised the importance of implementation and results. President Alkhalifa toured the Atinkou Power Plant, a 390-MW combined-cycle gas facility co-financed with development partners including the AfDB. The project has reinforced Côte d’Ivoire’s baseload power supply by replacing inefficient generation capacity and providing reliable electricity to households and industry.
Furthermore, President Alkhalifa will join a high-level consultation between the Arab Coordination Group and the AfDB to enhance coordination among development partners and support Africa’s long-term growth and economic resilience.