President Cyril Ramaphosa will travel to Côte d’Ivoire on a working visit to attend the 12th edition of the Africa CEO Forum, taking place on Monday and Tuesday in Abidjan. He will be joined by Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe and Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.
The forum gathers top executives from across the continent, government officials, and investors for high-level engagements focused on innovation, investment, and economic collaboration. This year’s theme, “Can a New Deal between State and Private Sector Deliver the Continent a Winning Hand?”, reflects growing momentum toward closer cooperation in infrastructure and industrial development across Africa.
Alongside the main forum, South Africa will host an Invest SA session, offering a platform to promote the country’s investment prospects. Ramaphosa’s presence is expected to further boost South Africa’s appeal as a prime destination for investment, especially as the country currently holds the G20 Presidency.
The visit will also serve to deepen bilateral ties between South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire. Relations between the two countries have grown significantly in recent years, marked by reciprocal state visits—Ramaphosa visited Abidjan in December 2021, while Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara visited Pretoria in July 2022.
South African companies have continued to expand their footprint in Côte d’Ivoire. Major investors include MTN, Sanlam, Nedbank, Multichoice, Absa, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, and several others across banking, aviation, and retail sectors.
