The EU‑Regional Business Forum – West Africa Corridors was held from 30 March to 1 April 2026 at the Sofitel – Hôtel Ivoire in Abidjan. The event was organised by the Delegation of the European Union to Côte d’Ivoire, in cooperation with the Belgian development agency ENABEL and the Ivorian Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs. Its main objective was to promote productive investments by the European private sector along two of the four strategic corridors identified by the EU in West Africa under the Global Gateway strategy: the Abidjan‑Ouagadougou and Abidjan‑Lagos corridors.
The three‑day event brought together more than 500 participants, including representatives of development agencies, development finance institutions and European companies. The programme featured thematic panels, presentations of major strategic projects for the countries concerned, and dedicated B2B and B2G sessions, fostering direct dialogue between the public and private sectors.
Throughout the discussions, participants repeatedly stressed the importance of rationalising and coordinating investments in transport infrastructure to promote sustainable, inclusive and resilient growth capable of improving the living conditions of populations along the regional development corridors. The economic dynamism of West Africa and the strength of economic relations between the European Union and ECOWAS were highlighted, recalling that the EU is the region’s leading trading partner. It was also emphasised that public resources alone are no longer sufficient to meet Africa’s financial needs and should instead serve as instruments to mitigate risk and attract private capital. Finally, reference was made to the paradigm shift introduced by the Global Gateway strategy, which aims to move beyond the traditional donor‑beneficiary logic in favour of equal and mutually beneficial partnerships, in line with the Mattei Plan.
The Team Italy in Abidjan (Embassy, AICS, ICE, CDP, SACE and the local Italian Chamber of Commerce), operating under the strategic guidance and coordination of the Embassy, provided specialised support to the Italian companies in attendance. The Embassy also facilitated institutional meetings with the Ivorian Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs, enabling companies to explore projects of potential strategic interest for both countries. In addition, companies benefited from up‑to‑date information on investment opportunities in Côte d’Ivoire and on initiatives promoted by the African Development Bank (AfDB), thanks to the dedicated ICE desk.
