Sub Saharan Africa

Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire)
Last reviewed: 04 June 2009

Country information

See entire profile

TRADE AND INVESTMENT

Trade and Investment with the UK

British companies are involved in the oil and gas sectors. Other UK companies in the Ivorian market are Unilever, GlaxoSmithKline, Ralph Martindale, Standard Chartered Bank, ED&F Man and CDC Capital (formerly the Commonwealth Development Corporation).

UK exports of goods to Côte d'Ivoire totalled £39.8m in 2006, down from £54m the previous year. UK imports totalled £83.3m in the same period, up from £74.9m.

UK Trade & Investment Country Profile: Ivory Coast
Investir en Zone Franc (IZF)

Development

Côte d'Ivoire is the most developed country in francophone West Africa, but there is a strong north/south imbalance. Economic activity is concentrated in the south. UNDP ranked the country 163 out of 177 on the Human Development Index in 2005. Poverty is a growing problem and social services have deteriorated. AIDS is estimated to affect 7% of the population, one of the highest in West Africa.

In June 2007, the government successfully negotiated an emergency post conflict assistance programme with the IMF. The terms of this agreement have been successfully implemented according to the IMF. The government's Poverty Reduction Strategy and its application for HIPC status are still on hold and are generally considered to depend on a resolution of the country’s political problems.

The UK has no bilateral aid programme in Côte d'Ivoire, although the UK has contributed to humanitarian assistance since the outbreak of the current crisis, and has contributed to the country's development through the European Commission and UN agencies.

World Bank - Ivory Coast
EU Development Directorate