The Director General of the Autonomous Port of Abidjan (PAA), Kassoum Traoré, received on June 16, 2026, a delegation from the Builders Club of the Bordeaux region, led by its president, Yannick Kwetchoua. This meeting aims to identify cooperation opportunities and better appreciate the investment and partnership prospects offered by the Ivorian economy. This meeting was part of an economic prospecting mission carried out in Ivory Coast. The objective was to better understand the investment opportunities offered by the country and to identify opportunities for cooperation with local economic players. Based in the Bordeaux region, the Club des Bâtisseurs brings together business leaders, experts and investors committed to supporting businesses internationally. The prospecting missions organized by this structure aim in particular to encourage business meetings and to create bridges between different economic territories. The choice of the Autonomous Port of Abidjan is not insignificant. Infrastructure constitutes the main gateway to Ivorian foreign trade. According to PAA data, about 75% of the country's trade passes through its facilities. The port also serves several hinterland countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, strengthening its role in regional logistics chains.

A platform supported by a decade of investments

Over the years, the Autonomous Port of Abidjan has benefited from major works intended to strengthen its competitiveness. More than 1,000 billion CFA francs have been invested since 2012 to modernize infrastructure and increase ship reception capacities. Among the achievements are the widening and deepening of the Vridi canal as well as the commissioning of the second container terminal. These developments have contributed to improving the performance of the port platform. The results recorded in 2025 illustrate this evolution. Overall traffic reached 46.6 million tonnes of goods, compared to just over 40 million tonnes in 2024, an increase of 16.1%, according to port figures. The visit of French entrepreneurs also comes a few weeks after the appointment of Kassoum Traoré as head of the Autonomous Port of Abidjan. Appointed interim director general on May 4, 2026, he succeeds Hien Yacouba Sié, appointed to the post of Minister of Infrastructure and Road Maintenance.

Beyond the protocol nature, this meeting testifies to the interest that Ivorian infrastructure arouses among foreign operators. For French companies engaged in this prospecting mission, the logistics, infrastructure, maritime transport and even services sectors appear as areas likely to give rise to new partnerships.