Opening of Negotiations of the Energy Compact and the Agreement on the Implementation of Programs : THE IVORIAN DELEGATION AND THE MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION IN CONCLAVE IN WASHINGTON DC.

In anticipation of the signing of the Regional Energy Compact Grant Agreement amounting to 322,500,000 US dollars before the end of the year, between the State of Côte d’Ivoire and the United States of America, a strong Ivorian delegation led by Mrs. COULIBALY Minafou Fanta, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Finance and Budget, has been in Washington since July 24, 2024, for negotiations on the Compact and the Program Implementation Agreement (PIA). She was accompanied by Technical Advisors Issa Tanou Fadiga from the Presidency and Silué ZAHALO from the Prime Minister’s office, as well as representatives from stakeholders in the energy sector and experts from the Technical Formulation Cell of the Regional Compact (CFPCR-MCC).

From Monday, July 29 to Friday, August 1, over the course of four days, experts from both countries thoroughly reviewed the main body of the Compact and the PIA to confirm the agreement of the signing parties on the final negotiated terms. At the opening of the proceedings, Ms. Alice Albright, President and CEO of the MCC, who was accompanied by Ms. CHIDI Blyden, Deputy CEO, and Ms. Kim KHIEY, Principal Deputy Vice President, welcomed her guests and recommended that the work be conducted in a spirit of friendliness and courtesy. Regarding the conduct of discussions, Ms. NDULO NChimunya, Attorney General of the MCC, and Mr. SIMSIK Michael, Regional Team Leader at the Compact Operations Department, presented the methodology and work agenda for greater efficiency in exchanges. As for Ms. COULIBALY Minafou Fanta, speaking on behalf of the Ivorian state, she praised the dynamism and quality of economic cooperation between Côte d’Ivoire and the United States. She also highlighted that the Energy Compact is an opportunity for Côte d’Ivoire to bolster its energy production but especially to assert its leadership as an energy hub in the sub-region. It should be noted that the Regional Energy Compact program has two phases: the first, the project formulation over a maximum period of twenty-four (24) months, and the second phase, which is the implementation from 2026 to 2031, that is five years.