Speaking at the repats forum in Abidjan, France’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Ivory Coast, Jean-Christophe Belliard, called on the Ivorian diaspora to invest massively in the processing of agricultural raw materials in Ivory Coast.
Mr. Belliard stressed the need to process raw agricultural products to create added value, jobs, and wealth.
Initiated by PKD Conseil, the repats forum aims to accelerate foreign direct investment from major foreign companies, but above all to encourage the African diaspora to invest on the continent.
At the same time, the French Ambassador praised the healthy state of the Ivorian economy, pointing out that Ivory Coast was one of only six countries out of 200 in the world to have experienced positive growth at the time of COVID-19, and that despite the Russian-Ukrainian war, the country is currently enjoying sustained growth.
The diplomat called on the 100,000 Ivorians living in France and on other continents to play their full part in Ivory Coast’s development.
The Secretary-General, Daouda Diabaté, representing the Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and the Diaspora, and the Director General for the Promotion of Agribusiness, Jacques Datté, expressed their gratitude to the President of the Republic, Alassane Ouattara, who, since coming to power, has always paid particular attention to the diaspora in the development of Ivory Coast.