Cote d’Ivoire has grabbed international attention again after last week’s presidential elections, where incumbent Alassane Ouattara clinched a historic fourth term. Observers have praised the peaceful voting process and the opposition’s quick acceptance of results, highlighting the country’s growing democratic maturity and political stability.
Once known for political turbulence, Cote d’Ivoire today shines as one of Africa’s most dynamic economies, attracting global investors, including the UK. The country is the world’s top exporter of cocoa beans, cocoa paste, and cocoa shells, while also boasting strong exports of gold, cashew nuts, rubber, and petroleum products. Under Ouattara’s pro-growth leadership, the economy has seen rapid expansion, unemployment has fallen to just 2.3 percent, and extreme poverty continues to decline. The nation now enjoys one of the highest GDP per capita rates in West Africa, a sign of its private-sector-led growth model.
Trade between the UK and Cote d’Ivoire has grown steadily, supported by the 2020 UK–Cote d’Ivoire Economic Partnership Agreement, which removed duties on Ivorian exports and gradually liberalised tariffs on British goods. Between the first quarter of 2024 and 2025, UK exports to Cote d’Ivoire jumped nearly 58 percent, while imports from the country grew more than 33 percent. Cote d’Ivoire is now Britain’s top supplier of cocoa beans, accounting for 84 percent of UK imports last year.
Despite this growth, Cote d’Ivoire remains only the UK’s 91st-largest export market, showing just how much untapped potential exists. Strategically located on the Gulf of Guinea and acting as a petroleum and logistics hub for West Africa, the country is a gateway to a regional market of over 400 million people.
Ouattara, an economist with senior roles at the IMF and the Central Bank of West African States, has steered market-friendly governance. His administration prioritises macroeconomic stability, infrastructure development, and investor confidence. Socially, the country has made progress in cohesion, with the president, a Muslim, and his Catholic wife, Dominique, symbolising interfaith harmony since the 2011 civil conflict.
The recent election, which saw Ouattara face former First Lady Simone Gbagbo, underscored the nation’s political maturity. Both camps respected the democratic process, signalling a new chapter of reconciliation.
As Cote d’Ivoire moves forward, continuity in leadership is expected to support reforms and attract more international investment. Priorities include expanding infrastructure, diversifying exports, and deepening global partnerships. For the UK, post-Brexit, Cote d’Ivoire represents economic promise and stability, offering opportunities for strengthened trade, investment, and development cooperation.
Ouattara’s fourth term may have reaffirmed continuity at the top, but Cote d’Ivoire’s economic evolution is just getting started — and for Britain, the partnership potential is ripe for harvest.
