GABORONE
Botswana and Côte d’Ivoire have signed their first-ever cooperation agreement in the mining and energy sectors, marking a new phase in relations between the two countries and opening the door to joint projects and investment.
Botswana President Duma Boko on Thursday welcomed Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy, Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly, and his delegation to the Office of the President in Gaborone, where the two countries signed the agreement.
According to the Botswana government, the agreement aims to strengthen collaboration and knowledge sharing in mining, oil and energy as both nations seek to diversify their economies and expand their extractive industries.
The memorandum of understanding establishes a framework for cooperation in geological research, mineral exploration, petroleum and energy development, technical skills transfer, innovation and institutional capacity building.
The agreement was signed by Côte d’Ivoire’s Sangafowa-Coulibaly and Botswana’s Minister of Minerals and Energy, Bogolo Joy Kenewendo.
The agreement covers strategic areas, including diamond exploration, gold resources, critical minerals, governance, training and institutional cooperation.
Boko said the visit reflected a shared vision for deeper African cooperation and expressed confidence that the partnership could become a model for collaboration through investment, technology exchange and skills development.
Sangafowa-Coulibaly described Botswana’s mining sector as an example that Côte d’Ivoire hopes to emulate as it seeks to transform its geological potential into economic growth, according to a statement from the Côte d’Ivoire government.
“We are drawing inspiration from the Botswana model to transform the Ivorian mining sector,” he said.
The minister said Côte d’Ivoire has emerged as one of West Africa’s fastest-growing mining destinations, citing major discoveries at Koné, Tanda-Iguela and Doropo, alongside prospects in manganese, nickel, lithium and diamonds.
He said the challenge is no longer simply discovering mineral deposits but converting those resources into industry, skilled jobs and greater economic value.
Botswana’s experience, he added, demonstrates how natural resources can drive broader economic transformation.
Over the past five decades, the country has developed an integrated diamond industry spanning exploration, processing and marketing while using mining revenues to support national development.
Progress on the partnership is already underway. Botswana’s Exploration Investment Company Botswana and Côte d’Ivoire’s state-owned mining company, SODEMI, have begun technical discussions on diamond, gold and critical mineral exploration.
Botswana Oil Ltd. is also evaluating opportunities in Côte d’Ivoire’s refining sector, signaling a shift from diplomatic commitments to practical implementation and commercial cooperation.
