Relations between Germany and Côte d’Ivoire have traditionally been friendly.

Germany is held in high regard in Côte d’Ivoire and is assisting the country with its development and reform policy. The two countries entered into a climate and development partnership in November 2023. Since 2017, Côte d’Ivoire has been a partner country of the G20 Compact with Africa initiative. President Ouattara attended the initiative summit in Berlin in late 2023.

Côte d’Ivoire is very interested in intensifying bilateral economic relations. With approximately 29 million inhabitants, it is one of the largest economies in West Africa. It is the leading economic power in francophone Africa and one of the continent’s fastest-growing countries. Côte d’Ivoire is the world’s most important cocoa supplier and therefore also plays a major role for Germany’s chocolate industry.

Germany is represented in many ways in Côte d’Ivoire, for example through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the German Investment and Development Company (DEG). German business is present in Côte d’Ivoire with an office of the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHK) and a correspondent for Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI). Political foundations with offices in Abidjan include the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

The Goethe-Institut not only offers language courses, but also plays an active role in shaping cultural life through its wide-ranging programme. There are around 440,000 people learning German in Côte d’Ivoire. A German Academic Exchange Service lector based at the Université Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan coordinates university exchanges and scholarship programmes. The universities in Abidjan and Bouaké have large German departments with around 1800 students.

Development cooperation focuses on forest conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy within the context of the new climate and development partnership. Other priorities are the strengthening of good governance, biodiversity protection and engagement for security in the country (including prevention of violent extremism) as well as vocational training and business promotion.