More information about Cote d’Ivoire is available on the Cote d’Ivoire Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet.

U.S.-CÔTE D’IVOIRE RELATIONS

The United States established diplomatic relations with Côte d’Ivoire (then more commonly refenced by the English name “Ivory Coast”) in 1960, following its independence from France. U.S.-Ivoirian relations are friendly and cooperative. The United States envisions a peaceful, productive, and prosperous Côte d’Ivoire that can partner with the United States on a wide array of strategic goals. To this end, the bilateral relationship is founded on four core areas of engagement: strengthening democracy and governance, expanding economic growth opportunities, advancing security sector reform, and improving education and health care systems and outcomes.

U.S. Assistance to Côte d’Ivoire

U.S. bilateral assistance is accordingly geared toward the four core areas of engagement. At the programmatic level, this entails promoting diverse, inclusive, and continuous participation in the democratic process; strengthening the capacity of governmental institutions, civil society, and the media to play their respective roles in improving governance and/or service delivery; promoting respect for the rule of law; building the capacity of Ivoirian security forces to defend the country, countering violent extremism, and protecting the population in accordance with international human rights norms; encouraging responsible fiscal, budget, and tax policy; addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic through expanded access to prevention, care, and treatment services; and combatting malaria and strengthening family planning and maternal child health services.

Through the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), U.S. support is strengthening Cote d’Ivoire’s preparedness for and management of epidemic threats, including SARS-CoV-2, polio, and influenza. Of note, in response to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, in 2021, the United States donated more than 4.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Côte d’Ivoire. The President’s Malaria Initiative implements cost-effective, life-saving interventions to reduce malaria cases in key populations (USD 25 million in FY 2021).

The United States is also expanding the supply of and access to affordable and reliable, grid-connected, electricity services; increasing private sector competitiveness; and improving the ability of Ivoirian businesses to scale-up their activities to meet international business standards.

The United States and Côte d’Ivoire’s militaries cooperate in numerous joint training exercises through the U.S. Africa Command. Côte d’Ivoire participates in the International Military Education and Training program and contributes to the Global Peacekeeping Operations Initiative where the United States facilitates the development of an interoperable peacekeeping capacity among African nations. Approximately 50 Ivoirians participate in the full range of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Bureau exchange programs every year, and 12 Fulbright

U.S. Scholars, Policy Fellows, English Teaching Assistants, and English Language Fellows come to Côte d’Ivoire from the United States every year.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID): Present since 1963, USAID has both bilateral and regional programming in Côte d’Ivoire. USAID programming covers democracy and governance, economic growth and Power Africa, and health. USAID invests in improving access to quality maternal and child health and family planning services at the community level to address preventable maternal and neonatal deaths (USD 12.5 million in FY 2021). USAID invested in the acceleration of widespread and equitable access to and delivery of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccinations and improved coordination and planning of COVID-19 interventions (USD 13 million in direct COVID-19 relief to Côte d’Ivoire, including USD 6 million through the American Rescue Plan Act). USAID invests in democracy and governance (USD 3.5 million in FY 2021) with programs aimed at: ensuring that the government is more responsive to citizen needs and that civil society and political parties engage the government constructively on behalf of their constituencies; countering violent extremism; promoting reconciliation and human rights; empowering women; and improving transparency and good governance.

The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in Côte d’Ivoire (PEPFAR): The Department of State, USAID, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), The Department of Defense (DOD), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) – together under the umbrella of PEPFAR – have invested more than USD 1.7 billion in Côte d’Ivoire since 2004 (including USD111 million in FY 2021) and is by far the largest donor to the Ivoirian HIV/AIDS response. PEPFAR procures 75 percent of national antiretroviral medications and laboratory commodities, brings technical expertise to all major HIV-related forums, supports technical assistance, and directs services through three Ivoirian ministries, 40+ implementing partners, and more than 200 local sub-partners. An estimated 240,000 people in Côte d’Ivoire who have contracted HIV receive treatment through PEPFAR. An estimated 214,000 of this same group have achieved viral load suppression, protecting their own health and preventing viral transmission to others. The U.S. Department of Defense, implements a targeted PEPFAR effort to serve the Ivoirian military and civilians who visit military health facilities (USD 3.2 million in FY 2021).

Centers for Disease Control (CDC): Present since 1987, CDC began by constructing the Retrovirus Côte d’Ivoire (Retro-CI) laboratory in collaboration with the Ivoirian Ministry of Health and the Belgian Institute of Tropical Medicine. In October 2021, Retro-CI was designated by the World Health Organization as an international evaluation center for pre-qualification of HIV diagnostics, one of only 14 such centers worldwide, and the only one in West Africa. Through the GHSA and PEPFAR programs, CDC supports the government of Cote d’Ivoire with quality health service delivery, workforce development, epidemic disease surveillance, laboratory system strengthening, and expert policy guidance.

Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC): In August 2019, the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact with Côte d’Ivoire entered into force. Through this $524.7 million Compact, the United States is facilitating the cost-effective movement of people, goods, and services in and around the Port of Abidjan as well as developing Ivoirian human capital through improved secondary education and vocational training, particularly for Ivoirian women and girls.

Bilateral Economic Relations

Côte d’Ivoire is eligible for preferential trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. U.S. firms have historically and continue to invest significantly in Ivoirian energy, agriculture, healthcare, food and beverage, and information technology services. Cote d’Ivoire is currently the United States’ 92nd largest goods trading partner with $1.2 billion in total (two-way) goods trade during 2019. Goods exports totaled $278 million; goods imports totaled $924 million. The U.S. goods trade deficit with Cote d’Ivoire was $645 million in 2019. U.S. goods exports to Cote d’Ivoire in 2019 were $279 million, down 10.0% ($31 million) from 2018 but up 35.2% from 2009. Cote d’Ivoire was the United States’ 81st largest supplier of goods imports in 2019. U.S. goods imports from Cote d’Ivoire totaled $924 million in 2019, down 26% ($324 million) from 2018, but up 24% from 2009. The United States has a trade and investment framework agreement with the West African Economic and Monetary Union, of which Côte d’Ivoire is a member.

Côte d’Ivoire’s Membership in International Organizations

Côte d’Ivoire and the United States belong to many of the same international organizations, including the United Nations and its various technical bodies, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.

Bilateral Representation

The U.S. Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire is Richard K. Bell (in place since September 2019); other senior embassy officials are listed in the Department’s Key Officers List.

Côte d’Ivoire maintains an embassy in the United States at 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; tel: 202-797-0300.

More information about Côte d’Ivoire is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here:

CIA World Factbook Côte d’Ivoire Page   
U.S. Embassy 
USAID Côte d’Ivoire Page   
History of U.S. Relations With Côte d’Ivoire
CDC Global Health Cote d’Ivoire page 
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Country Page  
U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics (see Ivory Coast)  
Export.gov International Offices Page  
Office of Foreign Assets Control Sanctions Page  
Millennium Challenge Corporation: Côte d’Ivoire  
Library of Congress Country Studies (see Ivory Coast)  
Travel Information

U.S. Department of State

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