On July 30, 2026 in Gaborone, Ivory Coast and Botswana signed an unprecedented cooperation protocol in the mining and energy sectors. The agreement, initialed by Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly, Minister of Mines, Oil and Energy, and his Botswanan counterpart Bogolo Joy Kenewendo, marks a decisive step for the Ivorian mining future. It covers geological research, exploration, the diamond industry, gold resources, critical minerals, governance, training and institutional cooperation. Botswana is recognized as one of the rare African countries to have transformed its natural resources into an engine of development. In half a century, it has built an integrated industry around diamonds, controlling the entire value chain, from exploration to marketing. Mining revenues have helped finance education, health and infrastructure, making the country a global benchmark in mining governance. For Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly, “we are inspired by the Botswanan model to transform the Ivorian mining sector”. For the Ivorian side, this agreement should make it possible to draw from Botswana the levers likely to transform the geological potential into economic development. In his statement, Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly indicated that Côte d'Ivoire is inspired by the Botswana model to transform its mining sector. A model that has allowed the country to build an integrated industry around diamonds, from exploration to marketing.

A geological potential to be exploited

Ivory Coast is today one of the most dynamic mining territories in West Africa. The world-class discoveries of Koné, Tanda-Iguela and Doropo have reinforced its attractiveness, to which are added promising prospects in manganese, nickel, lithium and diamond. According to data from the Ministry of Mines, the country already has more than 150 active exploration permits. The challenge is no longer just to discover deposits, but to convert this geological wealth into qualified jobs and industrial added value.

Towards institutional and private cooperation

Since a first mission Ivory Coast in Gaborone in February 2026, technical exchanges have intensified. Botswanan experts visited SODEMI diamond sites to identify concrete projects. The signed protocol also provides a favorable environment for the development of partnerships between Ivorian and Botswanan private companies, with the aim of transforming institutional cooperation into investments, technology transfers and industrial projects. This alliance paves the way for an integrated mining industry, capable of diversifying the Ivorian economy and reducing its dependence on traditional sectors such as cocoa and coffee.