One of the major objectives of Ivorian trade policy is to improve the trade balance through an increase in exports, specifically of processed products, and a strengthening of the local supply of substitute products for certain imports. Consequently, the government is committed to revitalizing its trade exchanges by increasing competitiveness and diversifying its export products, as well as supporting and assisting exporting companies. 

This dynamic is supported by the implementation of policies, strategies, reforms, and actions aimed at strengthening the trade regime based on economic liberalism. This includes: (i) the implementation of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET); (ii) the promotion of bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade agreements; (iii) the diversification of trade partners and export products; (iv) the operationalization of trade facilitation tools. 

Specifically, the external trade environment is characterized by the existence of: 

• A National Committee for the African Continental Free Trade Area (CN-Zlecaf); 

• A National Commission for monitoring Economic Partnership Agreements with the European Union; 

• A National Committee for Trade Facilitation (CNFE); 

• A National AGOA Strategy (SNA) with an action plan estimated at 6 billion FCFA for the period 2018-2022. This strategy allows companies to export more effectively to the American market without customs duties; 

• A Single Window for Foreign Trade (GUCE) with the objective of accelerating customs clearance operations; 

• A web portal for alerting trade obstacles that allows importing and exporting companies to notify the relevant authorities of encountered obstacles (https://www.tradeobstacles.org/cotedivoire); 

• A web portal for trade information (pwic.gouv.ci) that gathers information related to imports and exports to and from Côte d'Ivoire; 

• An import/export hub (hubducommerce.ci) created in 2023; 

• A National Trade Information Network (RNIC) aimed at increasing the competitiveness of companies operating in Côte d'Ivoire by providing them with reliable trade information; 

• A Verification of Compliance (VOC) program for goods before shipment to the country. The objectives of this program are to (i) reduce the possibilities of fraud and counterfeiting in import operations, (ii) improve the safety and quality of imported goods in accordance with Ivorian standards and specifications, (iii) ensure traceability of foreign products placed on the Ivorian market, (iv) guarantee quality consumption for the population, (v) secure local industrial production, and (vi) combat unfair competition;

•  A dematerialization of procedures related to trade exchanges; 

• The production of harmonized statistical data on foreign trade in general and on market opportunities in Africa in particular; 

• The implementation of the National Export Strategy (SNE) since 2014; 

• The implementation of the interim economic partnership agreement (APEi) between Côte d'Ivoire and the EU; 

• The Côte d'Ivoire Export Agency created by decree n°1246 of February 2, 2022. In order to develop exports, the Ivorian government is working to improve the competitiveness of exporting companies and promote compliance with international technical specifications and other sanitary and phytosanitary measures. Furthermore, this sector is regulated by the following main texts: 

• Decree n° 2013-166 of March 6, 2013, approving the concession agreement for the design, financing, installation, operation, and maintenance of a computerized Single Window for Foreign Trade, abbreviated GUCE; 

• Decree n°2017-567 approving the product compliance verification program for goods shipped to Côte d'Ivoire; 

• Ordinance n°2020-952 of December 9, 2020, concerning tariff dismantling under the economic partnership agreement between Côte d'Ivoire and the European Union; 

• Ordinance n°2021-57 of February 3, 2021, implementing the first and second phases of tariff dismantling under the economic partnership agreement between Côte d'Ivoire and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; 

• Ordinance n°2021-299 of June 16, 2021, setting the conditions for the importation of sugar intended for industrial companies using it as an input; 

• Decree n°2022-123 creating, assigning, organizing, and operating the Côte d'Ivoire Export Promotion Agency named "Côte d'Ivoire Export Agency" on February 23, 2022;

•  Decree n° 2022-168 of March 9, 2022, instituting prior authorization for the export of any food product; 

• Decree n° 2023-168 of March 22, 2023, creating the state-owned company named GUCE-CI SA. 

• Recent Evolution of External Trade Excluding Exceptional Goods

From 2014 to 2023, Côte d'Ivoire's external trade was marked by an increase in exports and imports in value, averaging 6.1% and 7.8% annually, respectively. The trade balance, which remained in surplus until 2021, showed a deficit of 826.6 billion FCFA in 2022. In 2023, it returned to a surplus of 66.1 billion FCFA. 

Sources :MEPD/DGD; MCI/DGCE

 Sources :MEPD/DGD; MCI/DGCE

In 2023, the value of exports increased by 9.2% compared to 2022, reaching 10,023.0 billion FCFA, despite a drop in crude oil sales (-24.1%). This positive trend is mainly due to the increase in the value of cashew nut sales (+23.7%), natural rubber (+7.3%), processed cocoa (+37.7%), raw gold (+19.9%), and cocoa beans (+1.2%). 

Imports amounted to 10,849.6 billion FCFA, an increase of 0.29% compared to 2022. The import of goods was marked by an increase in purchases of crude oil (+16.6%), fresh fish (+10.5%), road transport equipment excluding passenger vehicles (+9.9%), passenger vehicles (+5.8%), and mechanical machines (+3.5%), which helped offset declines mainly in the purchase of "petroleum products other than crude oil" (-23%), rice (-13.3%), "iron, cast iron, steel, and products made from these metals" (-7.9%), plastics (-6.6%), and electrical machines (-3.9%). 

• Exports: Structure and Main Clients 

From 2016 to 2022, the value of Côte d'Ivoire's exports was dominated by primary products. In 2023, this trend reversed, with processed products taking the lead.

 In terms of primary products, cocoa beans ranked first (19.7%), followed by natural rubber (11.2%) and cashew nuts (5.6%). Among processed products, processed cocoa (13.7%) and petroleum products other than crude oil (12.4%) were the most exported. 

Structure of Goods Exports (in %) 

 Sources :MFB/DGD; MEPD/DGE

The top ten clients of Côte d'Ivoire in 2023 are the Netherlands (11.7%), Switzerland (10.8%), Mali (8.8%), Malaysia (5.1%), Vietnam (5.1%), Burkina Faso (4.4%), China (4.3%), the USA (4.3%), France (3.7%), and Germany (3.6%). Together, they account for 61.7% of goods exports. In terms of economic zones, the EU remains the primary destination for exports by value, holding a share of 29.3%. The ECOWAS share stands at 20.1%, which includes a 16.6% share from UEMOA.

Main Clients

 Sources :MEPD/DGE; MFB/DGD

• Imports: Structure and Main Suppliers 

  In 2023, the value of goods imports is dominated by consumer goods (43.7%), followed by intermediate goods (31.5%), other consumer goods (26.5%), and capital goods (20.0%). Fresh fish (4.7%) and rice (4%) are the most imported food products. Among intermediate goods, crude oil (16.1%) is the most imported product, followed by "Iron, cast iron, steel, and products made from these metals" (5.3%) and petroleum products other than crude oil (10.7%).

  Structure of Goods Imports (in %)

Key Clients

Sources: MFB/DGD; MEPD/DGE

PERSPECTIVES

The Government plans, for the period 2023-2025:

• To revitalize the Trade Obstacles Alert Mechanism (MAOC);

• To ensure the full operationalization of the GUCE;

• To continue negotiations and the implementation process of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) actions, particularly concerning services, investment, competition policy, intellectual property rights, and e-commerce;

• To pursue the implementation of interim Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between (i) Côte d'Ivoire and the EU and (ii) Côte d'Ivoire and the United Kingdom;

• To develop a comprehensive national strategy for penetrating the American market to stimulate trade and investment between Côte d'Ivoire and the United States (not limited to AGOA);

• To establish export credit insurance;

• To join the African Trade Insurance Agency (ACA);

• To continue the implementation of the Compliance Verification Program for goods shipped to Côte d'Ivoire;

• To implement and coordinate the development and promotion strategy for e-commerce. By 2025, the objective is to double the value of exports to reach 15,000 billion FCFA, focusing on the development of value chains.

   

Evolution of the value of Côte d'Ivoire's external trade from 2014 to 2023 (in billions of FCFA)

Sources : MFB/DGD