Côte d’Ivoire and Botswana signed a cooperation agreement in the mining and energy sectors on Thursday, July 30 in Gaborone. The agreement was signed by the Ivorian Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy, Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly, and the Botswana Minister responsible for Minerals and Energy, Bogolo Joy Kenewendo. This is the first cooperation agreement concluded between the two countries in these areas.
The agreement covers several aspects, including geological research, exploration, the diamond industry, gold resources, critical minerals, governance, training, and institutional cooperation. Ivorian authorities indicate that it should help support the country’s ambitions in the mining sector, drawing from Botswana’s experience.
This cooperation follows on from exchanges initiated during a mission to Gaborone in February by Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly. It was further extended through technical exchanges, including a visit by Botswana experts to the diamond sites of SODEMI, in order to identify the first projects to be implemented under the protocol.
Ivorian authorities also highlight the prospects of the national subsoil. They specifically mention discoveries in Koné, Tanda-Iguela, and Doropo, as well as the potential identified in manganese, nickel, lithium, and diamonds. For the Ivorian Minister, the challenge now is to transform this potential into industrial activities, skilled jobs, and added value.
The protocol also provides a favorable framework for the development of partnerships between Ivorian and Botswana companies. The Ivorian party’s stated objective is to translate institutional cooperation into investments, technology transfers, and industrial projects.
