AGP Executive Report

Cocoa Policy: Ivory Coast is set to keep the fixed cocoa farmgate price at 1,200 CFA francs/kg for the 2026/27 main season, starting September 1, after a prior cut from 2,800 CFA francs/kg as global prices swung. Cocoa Governance: A new ETH Zurich-linked study warns that at least 1 in 4 cocoa traceability audits in Ivory Coast may include manipulated data, raising fresh questions ahead of delayed EU deforestation rules. Security in the Region: Gunfire and explosions were reported overnight near Niamey’s Base 101 at Niger’s international airport, a site previously hit by jihadist groups including IS Sahel and JNIM. Humanitarian Crisis: The UN says nearly 200,000 people were forcibly returned to Haiti in the first eight months of 2026, amid worsening insecurity and a surge in illegal arms. Energy & Industry: Olam Agri completed its acquisition of Asia Africa Rubber Industry, adding 176,000 tons/year of rubber processing capacity in Ivory Coast. Diplomacy: Côte d’Ivoire and Vietnam agreed to deepen parliamentary cooperation, including agricultural production and export exchanges.

Ivorian Cocoa Accountability: A new ETH Zurich-linked study says at least 1 in 4 cocoa traceability audits in Côte d’Ivoire involved manipulated data, raising fresh pressure as EU deforestation rules loom. Agro-Industry Expansion: Olam Agri completed its acquisition of Asia Africa Rubber Industry, adding 176,000 tonnes of annual rubber processing capacity in Côte d’Ivoire and strengthening its rubber value chain. Parliamentary Diplomacy: Vietnam and Côte d’Ivoire moved to deepen cooperation after a National Assembly exchange in Hanoi, with plans to coordinate across multilateral forums and learn from agricultural production models. Energy Access Push: Analysis projects record solar growth in Africa in 2026, highlighting solar mini-grids as key for rural electrification in Francophone West Africa including Côte d’Ivoire. Security & Crime Networks: INTERPOL’s Operation Jackal IV reports 58 arrests across 22 countries, exposing a shared criminal “supply chain” behind financial fraud and sextortion campaigns targeting minors. Culture & Fashion in Abidjan: The 7th Ivorian Traditional Fabric Days ran in Abidjan, spotlighting artisans and designers and how traditional textiles are being reshaped for modern markets. Regional Trade Barriers: West Africa is working to speed up seed movement across borders, arguing that mutual recognition rules exist but are applied unevenly.

Cocoa Supply Chain Integrity: A new ETH Zurich-linked study says at least 1 in 4 cocoa traceability audits in Côte d’Ivoire show manipulated data, raising fresh pressure as EU deforestation rules are delayed again. Agro-Industry Expansion: Olam Agri completed its acquisition of Asia Africa Rubber Industry, adding 176,000 tons of annual rubber processing capacity in Côte d’Ivoire to boost traceable supply and efficiency. Parliamentary Diplomacy: Vietnam and Côte d’Ivoire agreed to deepen parliamentary cooperation after a visit by the Ivorian National Assembly vice president, including practical exchanges on agriculture and exports. Regional Security & Crime: INTERPOL’s “Operation Jackal IV” wrapped up with 58 arrests and 263 identified suspects across 22 countries, targeting West African cyber fraud networks linked to sextortion. Trade & Governance Watch: A report on Liberia alleges timber smuggling to Côte d’Ivoire outside legal systems, spotlighting cross-border enforcement gaps. Human Development: A Senegal-made generic hydroxyurea treatment is reported as a first for Africa, aiming to cut costs and improve sickle cell care across West Africa.

Cocoa & Child Labour: Ferrero and Save the Children say their Cacao Connect initiative in Côte d’Ivoire has cut poverty among participating households from 60% to 43% and improved access to education while tackling child labour risks in cocoa communities. Cocoa Supply Chain Integrity: A new ETH Zurich-linked study warns that at least 1 in 4 cocoa traceability audits in Côte d’Ivoire may include manipulated data, raising pressure as EUDR deforestation rules near. Agro-Industry Investment: Olam Agri has completed its acquisition of Asia Africa Rubber Industry, adding 176,000 metric tons of annual rubber processing capacity in Côte d’Ivoire and nearly doubling its local capacity. Parliamentary Diplomacy: Côte d’Ivoire’s National Assembly vice president met Vietnam’s leadership in Hanoi to deepen parliamentary cooperation and coordinate on agriculture and trade models. Security & Justice (Regional): INTERPOL’s Operation Jackal IV wrapped up with 58 arrests and 263 suspects identified across 22 countries, targeting West African cyber fraud networks that also fuel sextortion. Humanitarian Health: Research highlights how malaria patients often stop treatment early after symptoms fade, undermining prevention and cure efforts. Coconut Replanting Plan: Côte d’Ivoire launched an ambitious coconut replanting push aiming for 100,000 hectares over the next decade to reverse declining production.

Cocoa Integrity Shock (Ivory Coast): A new ETH Zurich-linked study says at least 1 in 4 cocoa traceability audits in Côte d’Ivoire show manipulated data, raising fresh alarms ahead of the delayed EU deforestation rules. Oil & Gas Dealmaking (Ivory Coast/Ghana): Petrobras has entered direct negotiations for four offshore exploration blocks in Ghana’s Keta Basin, while CB&I won a three-year Côte d’Ivoire contract for FPSO operations and maintenance. Security Crackdown (West Africa): INTERPOL’s Operation Jackal IV ended with 58 arrests and 263 suspects identified across 22 countries, targeting cyber-enabled fraud networks tied to Black Axe and related groups. Health Access (Senegal/West Africa): Senegal’s Teranga Pharma says it has produced the first Africa-made generic hydroxyurea for sickle cell, aiming to cut costs and reduce reliance on imported treatment. Agriculture Push (Côte d’Ivoire): Côte d’Ivoire launched a coconut replanting drive targeting 100,000 hectares over the next decade to reverse falling production. Regional Politics & Trade (Vietnam/Côte d’Ivoire): Côte d’Ivoire’s National Assembly delegation met Vietnam’s legislature to deepen parliamentary cooperation and agricultural know-how exchanges.

INTERPOL Operation Jackal IV: An eight-month crackdown across 22 countries ended Aug. 25 with 58 arrests and 263 suspects identified, targeting West African cyber-enabled fraud networks and money laundering, with Côte d’Ivoire among participating countries. Cocoa Integrity: A new study says at least 1 in 4 cocoa traceability audits in Côte d’Ivoire may include manipulated data, raising concerns ahead of delayed EU deforestation rules. Coconut Replanting Push: Côte d’Ivoire has launched an active replanting drive to restore coconut production, aiming for 100,000 hectares over the decade after output fell sharply. Oil & Gas Contract: CB&I Asset Solutions won a three-year operations and maintenance contract in Côte d’Ivoire for an FPSO vessel, including restart, integrity management and compliance. Cybercrime Link to Sextortion: INTERPOL reports the same “crime-as-a-service” infrastructure behind major financial fraud is increasingly being used for sextortion campaigns targeting minors. Timber Smuggling Probe: A DayLight investigation alleges an Israeli-owned logging firm smuggled timber to Côte d’Ivoire worth $437,000, bypassing Liberia’s legal system. Business & Telecom: MTN reported strong H1 growth, citing subscriber gains, including in Côte d’Ivoire.

Coconut Replanting Push in Côte d’Ivoire: The government has launched an interim coconut and oil palm plan to restore production, targeting 100,000 hectares of coconut trees over the next decade, with 2,000 ha planned for 2027 as farmers face shrinking stocks and lower output. Offshore Energy Contract: CB&I Asset Solutions won a three-year operations and maintenance deal in Côte d’Ivoire for an FPSO vessel, covering safe restart, integrity management, compliance, and class certification—part of a wider push to build local capacity. Parliamentary Diplomacy: Côte d’Ivoire’s National Assembly president Patrick Achi visited Vietnam’s agriculture university in Hanoi, seeking deeper cooperation in agriculture, training, agro-processing, and market organization. Regional Youth Faith Event: Vatican-linked officials and West African Catholic leaders discussed the upcoming West Africa Youth Day in Accra, inviting young people to gather, pray, and strengthen regional youth ministry. Cocoa Living Income Talks: Fairtrade Africa will convene stakeholders in Accra for Change Day 2026, using new living income reference prices for Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana to push buyers toward fairer farm-gate payments. Global Crime Crackdown (West Africa): Interpol’s Operation Jackal IV reported 58 arrests and 263 suspects identified across 22 countries, targeting West African cyber-enabled fraud and money laundering networks.

Coconut Revival Plan: Côte d’Ivoire has launched an ambitious replanting push to restore its coconut sector, targeting 100,000 hectares over the next decade after production fell to about 150,000 tonnes versus 480,000 in the 1980s-90s. Regional Security: INTERPOL’s eight-month Operation Jackal IV across 22 countries resulted in 58 arrests and 263 suspects linked to West African organized crime and cyber-enabled fraud. Energy Trade Talks: Ghana says it wants to add Nigeria to its electricity export partners, testing Accra’s bid to become a West African energy hub. Ivorian Oil & Gas Contract: CB&I Asset Solutions won a three-year operations and maintenance deal in Côte d’Ivoire for an FPSO vessel, with a contract value estimated between $50m and $100m. Parliament & Agriculture Diplomacy: Côte d’Ivoire’s National Assembly president Patrick Achi visited Vietnam’s agriculture university, seeking deeper cooperation in training and agro-processing. Cocoa Policy Pressure: Fairtrade Africa will convene stakeholders in Accra over living-income benchmarks for cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. Road Safety: Ghana’s transport ministry says agencies will enforce a helmet standard for motorcycle riders, with sensitisation running until December.

Emerging Markets Watch: Union Bancaire Privée’s Thomas Christiansen says frontier markets and emerging-market debt look set to outperform as investors chase carry and diversification amid a global bond selloff. Parliament & Agriculture: Côte d’Ivoire’s National Assembly President Patrick Achi met Vietnam’s agriculture university in Hanoi, pushing deeper parliamentary and agro-trade cooperation. Telecom Growth: MTN reported strong H1 results, citing subscriber gains in Ghana, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire alongside tighter cost controls. Cyber Safety: Police in the region warn residents to “Stop. Check. Report.” after sophisticated online investment scams, urging verification before paying. Road Safety: Ghana’s transport authorities plan to enforce a helmet standard for motorcycle riders, with Côte d’Ivoire included in the regional push. Oil & Gas Deals: CB&I won a three-year Côte d’Ivoire FPSO operations and maintenance contract; Panoro also agreed an $80m deal to expand its Ivory Coast gas footprint. Cocoa Livelihoods: Fairtrade Africa will convene stakeholders in Accra over living-income cocoa reference prices for Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. Regional Finance: IMF debt rankings put Côte d’Ivoire among Africa’s biggest IMF debtors, while Nigeria is absent from the top 10.

Parliamentary Diplomacy: Côte d’Ivoire National Assembly President Patrick Achi met Vietnam National University of Agriculture in Hanoi, pushing for deeper cooperation on rice, agro-processing, training and market organization. Telecom Growth: MTN reported strong H1 gains, citing faster subscriber growth in key markets including Ghana and Nigeria, with Côte d’Ivoire among those seeing momentum. Oil & Gas Dealmaking: Panoro Energy signed an $80m agreement to buy DNO’s indirect stake in four producing gas fields offshore Côte d’Ivoire (Block CI-27), while DNO simultaneously exits the country via the sale of DNO CI to Panoro. Energy Services Contract: CB&I won a three-year operations and maintenance contract in Côte d’Ivoire for an offshore FPSO vessel, covering restart, integrity management and compliance. Youth & Faith: Vatican Cardinal Czerny urged West African youth to attend the first West Africa Youth Day in Accra, framing it as a shared space of faith and belonging. Cocoa Livelihood Pressure: Fairtrade Africa will convene stakeholders in Accra over cocoa living-income reference prices for Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, as farmers face rising costs despite falling global prices. Road Safety Push: Helmet standards are set to be enforced across West Africa, with Côte d’Ivoire included in a regional push for safer motorcycle riding.

Housing & Land Oversight: Mixta Africa backs Nigeria’s housing reforms but warns escrow releases must be tied to independently verified construction milestones, pairing buyer-protection with better access to construction finance. West Africa Youth & Faith: A Vatican cardinal urged young people to come to Accra for the first West Africa Youth Day, framing it as a chance to listen, pray, and belong across the region. Cocoa Farmers Under Pressure: Fairtrade Africa will convene stakeholders in Accra for Change Day 2026, unveiling living income reference prices for Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana as cocoa prices fall but production costs don’t. Ivory Coast Gas Deal: Panoro Energy signed an $80m agreement to buy DNO’s stake in four producing offshore gas fields in Block CI-27, boosting output and reserves while deepening Panoro’s presence in Côte d’Ivoire. Parliamentary Diplomacy: Côte d’Ivoire National Assembly President Patrick Achi’s visit to Việt Nam aims to strengthen parliamentary cooperation and expand economic and trade ties. US Visa Ruling Hits West Africa: A US judge struck down Trump’s immigrant visa suspension affecting 75 countries, including Ivory Coast, restoring processing for affected families. Côte d’Ivoire Toxic Waste Anniversary: Coverage revisits the 2006 Akouédo toxic waste dumping case, its death toll, and the long-running dispute over the Trafigura settlement. Regional Security Lens: Analysis says the Sahel remains the world’s deadliest terrorism hotspot, with jihadist expansion linked to earlier regional shocks and state collapse.

Cocoa Livelihood Pressure: Fairtrade Africa will convene cocoa stakeholders in Accra for Change Day 2026, using new 2026 living income reference prices for Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana to push buyers toward closing the gap between farm-gate pay and what households need. Oil & Gas Deal in Côte d’Ivoire: Panoro Energy signed an $80m agreement with DNO to buy its indirect stake in producing offshore gas fields on Block CI-27, boosting Panoro’s output plans and deepening investor interest in the Ivorian gas market. DNO Exits, Panoro Steps In: DNO’s divestment of its Côte d’Ivoire business to Panoro is set to close mid-September, with DNO citing a roughly 24% annualized return since entering the country. Regional Security Lens: A new analysis says the Sahel remains the world’s deadliest terrorism hotspot, with jihadist control expanding after shocks that followed Libya’s 2011 conflict and Mali’s political collapse. US Court Impacting West Africa: A US judge struck down Trump’s immigrant visa suspension affecting 75 countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, restoring visa processing for affected nationals. Côte d’Ivoire in the Visa List: The ruling explicitly includes Ivory Coast among the countries covered by the overturned policy. Digital Infrastructure Partnership: Blue Cloud Softech Solutions signed a MoA with GCIB and Côte d’Ivoire’s Afro Mobile SARL to develop telecom and digital infrastructure across Africa, including fibre, 4G/5G, connectivity and digital public services.

US Court Ruling on Visas: A Manhattan federal judge struck down the Trump administration’s blanket immigrant visa suspension for 75 countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, calling the policy “patently unlawful” and beyond the State Department chief’s authority—an immediate win for affected families. Cocoa Livelihood Pressure: Fairtrade Africa will convene cocoa stakeholders in Accra for Change Day 2026, using new living income reference prices for Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana to push buyers toward closing the gap between farm-gate pay and household needs. Ivory Coast Gas Deal: Panoro Energy signed an $80m definitive agreement to buy DNO’s stake-linked business in offshore Block CI-27, boosting its Côte d’Ivoire production and reserves as the country’s gas market draws new investors. Digital Infrastructure Partnership: Blue Cloud Softech Solutions signed an MoA with GCIB and Côte d’Ivoire’s Afro Mobile SARL to develop telecom and digital infrastructure across Africa, including fibre, 4G/5G, connectivity and digital public services. Côte d’Ivoire Safety & Accountability: Coverage revisits the 2006 toxic waste dumping in Abidjan, the Trafigura settlement, and ongoing disputes with victims’ groups over justice and compensation.

Côte d’Ivoire Gas Deal: Panoro Energy signed an $80m agreement with DNO to buy DNO’s indirect 9.09% stake in offshore Block CI-27, a gas-producing area supplying Côte d’Ivoire’s domestic market; the deal is expected to close mid-September 2026, boosting Panoro’s output and reserves. Oil & Gas Divestment: DNO is exiting Côte d’Ivoire via the sale of DNO CI to Panoro, citing an estimated ~24% annualized return since entering the country. Cocoa Pressure: Fairtrade Africa will convene cocoa stakeholders in Accra for Change Day 2026, using new 2026 living income reference prices for Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana to push buyers to close the gap between farm-gate pay and living income. Telecom & Digital Infrastructure: Blue Cloud Softech Solutions signed an MoA with GCIB and Côte d’Ivoire-based Afro Mobile SARL to develop fibre, 4G/5G, submarine connectivity, towers, satellite services, and digital public infrastructure across Africa. Toxic Waste Memory: Victims’ groups continue to contest the 2007 settlement tied to the 2006 Trafigura toxic waste dumping in Abidjan, arguing the compensation and legal outcome left key grievances unresolved.

Cocoa Living Income Push: Fairtrade Africa will convene cocoa stakeholders in Accra for Change Day 2026, unveiling 2026 Fairtrade Living Income Reference Prices for Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana to close the gap between farm-gate pay and living income. Offshore Gas Deal for Côte d’Ivoire: Panoro Energy signed an $80m definitive agreement with DNO to buy DNO CI LLC, giving Panoro an indirect 9.09% stake in Block CI-27 and boosting its West African gas position. DNO Exits Côte d’Ivoire: DNO’s divestment of its Côte d’Ivoire business to Panoro is set to close mid-September 2026, with DNO citing an estimated 24% annualized return. Port Competition in the Gulf of Guinea: Tema Port says it ended 2025 ahead of Abidjan and Lomé, driven by transshipment growth and larger vessel calls. Côte d’Ivoire Digital Infrastructure MoA: Blue Cloud Softech Solutions signed an MoA with GCIB and Afro Mobile SARL to develop telecom and digital infrastructure across Africa, including fibre, 4G/5G, connectivity and digital public services. Toxic Waste Accountability Reminder: A renewed look at the 2006 Akouédo dumping case highlights the long-running dispute over the Trafigura settlement and victim compensation.

Côte d’Ivoire Gas Deal: Panoro Energy signed an $80m agreement to buy DNO’s indirect 9.09% stake in four producing offshore gas fields in Block CI-27, with production supplying the domestic market and boosting Panoro’s West Africa footprint. Energy & Investment: The same transaction follows DNO’s exit from Côte d’Ivoire, with completion expected mid-September 2026, as the country keeps drawing new oil-and-gas capital. Digital Infrastructure MoA: Blue Cloud Softech Solutions and Côte d’Ivoire’s Afro Mobile SARL signed a strategic MoA with GCIB to develop telecom and digital infrastructure across Africa, including fibre, 4G/5G, connectivity assets, towers, and digital public services. Cocoa Prices Watch: Cocoa futures rose as Ivory Coast shipments fell sharply year-on-year and US port inventories hit a multi-year low, while traders weigh weather risks and the dollar’s moves. Toxic Waste Memory: A reminder of the 2006 Akouédo disaster resurfaced as victims’ groups continue to dispute the Trafigura settlement and the handling of contaminated sites in Abidjan. Sports Spotlight: Ivorian forward Yan Diomande told Real Madrid fans he’s “ready to die” for Mourinho, underscoring the pressure on the new signing to deliver.