AGP Executive Report

Ebola Watch: The WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern on May 17 after a Bundibugyo-virus outbreak in the DRC and Uganda, but said it doesn’t meet the bar for a pandemic emergency—keeping pressure on surveillance and border monitoring. Digital Finance (West Africa): Ghana’s Bank of Ghana says the e-Cedi is moving beyond pilots toward cross-border settlement and wholesale payments, while Liberia’s Lonestar Cell MTN and BnB keep expanding cross-border mobile money access. Cocoa Signals: Ivory Coast forecasts a cocoa harvest rebound to 2.0–2.1m tons in 2025/26, after years of supply shocks that pushed chocolate prices to historic highs. Côte d’Ivoire Tech & Industry: Abidjan hosts the Africa Technology Conference (16–18 June) with a new Africa Gas & Innovations Summit, and a new portable biometric enrollment device (GripID V10) was unveiled at ID4Africa. Local Build-Up: Abidjan’s La Tour F is nearing completion and is set to become Africa’s tallest building.

Ocean Governance Push: The UN’s BBNJ treaty is now in force, and the Institute for Security Studies is helping African governments shape how the high seas are protected and how benefits from marine genetic resources are shared—so Africa doesn’t just “comply,” it gains. Human History Shock: New research from Côte d’Ivoire suggests Homo sapiens were living in West African rainforests about 150,000 years ago, rewriting what we thought we knew about early humans and forest life. Digital Finance in West Africa: Lonestar Cell MTN and BnB are expanding cross-border mobile money access in Liberia, using community activations to deepen trust and usage. Aviation Growth Agenda: Nigeria’s aviation minister, Festus Keyamo, lays out five priorities to boost connectivity across Africa, framing air transport as economic infrastructure. Abidjan Tech Spotlight: SPE Africa confirms ATC 2026 in Abidjan (16–18 June) with a new Africa Gas and Innovations Summit on day two. World Cup Buzz: With 48 teams, kit releases are already fueling the style race ahead of the June 11 kickoff.

Refugee Policy Shock: The Trump administration is moving to admit an extra 10,000 white South Africans as refugees while keeping refugee entry from other countries at record-low levels, a move critics call discriminatory. Abidjan Spotlight: The Africa Economy Builders Forum Awards marks its 20th anniversary, adding a special category for countries showing standout public policy and transformation. Skyline Ambition: Abidjan’s Administrative City is nearing completion of La Tour F, set to become Africa’s tallest building, with a public “lantern” viewing deck. Digital Identity Push: ID4Africa discussions in Abidjan again stressed that legal and digital identity for refugees and stateless people must be built into national systems, not treated as an afterthought. Energy Tech in Côte d’Ivoire: SPE Africa announced ATC 2026 in Abidjan (16–18 June), with a new Africa Gas & Innovations Summit on Day Two. Ghana–Côte d’Ivoire Rivalry: Ghana’s mining chamber warns Côte d’Ivoire is positioning to overtake Ghana in gold, echoing how it overtook cocoa. Green Logistics (Region): In Ghana, Agility Logistics Park’s warehouses earned EDGE Advanced certification for major energy and water savings.

Auto Trade Shift: South Africa’s new-vehicle exports to the rest of Africa jumped 36.4% in 2025, but the numbers still show the industry remains heavily tied to Europe—so the “Africa as the main customer” dream is real, yet far from secure. Green Logistics in Ghana: Agility Logistics Park in Tema just earned IFC/World Bank EDGE Advanced certification, with 17 certified warehouses across Agility’s network and big reported energy and water savings. World Cup Travel Friction: Houston’s World Cup hotel demand is softer than expected as visa and travel barriers bite international fans—raising pressure on host-city plans. Côte d’Ivoire Tech Spotlight: Ivorian fintech Cauridor raised a Series A including $2m from Proparco to strengthen cross-border payments via cash and mobile networks. Digital ID Security: ID4Africa in Abidjan pushed the message that digital identity is now critical infrastructure—built with cybersecurity from day one. Sahel Security Warning: Coverage also flags worsening control and violence across the Sahel, with Mali and Burkina Faso highlighted as flashpoints.

Sustainability & Logistics: Agility Logistics Park in Tema, Ghana just earned IFC-backed EDGE Advanced certification for energy- and resource-efficient warehouses—17 facilities across Agility’s network are now certified, with Ghana’s five warehouses averaging 68% energy savings and 38% water savings. World Cup Reality Check: FIFA World Cup travel hype is colliding with visa and pricing barriers, with Houston officials now admitting hotel demand isn’t matching earlier promises as international visitors face tougher entry conditions. Human History, Rewritten: New Côte d’Ivoire research suggests early humans lived in wet tropical rainforests about 150,000 years ago, pushing back the oldest known rainforest habitation by more than double. Digital Identity Momentum: ID4Africa’s 2026 push keeps centering legal identity inclusion and interoperability—Cabo Verde’s reforms hit 99% birth registration after linking civil registration and national ID systems. Health Security: WHO declared an Ebola public health emergency of international concern (Bundibugyo virus) after reports in DRC and Uganda, while stressing it doesn’t meet pandemic emergency criteria.

Human Origins Rewritten: Researchers in Côte d’Ivoire report humans living in wet tropical rainforest about 150,000 years ago—more than double earlier estimates—forcing a rethink of where early Homo sapiens could survive. Digital ID Momentum: At ID4Africa in Abidjan, experts pushed digital identity as critical national infrastructure, with cybersecurity and legal safeguards built in from the start. Interoperability Wins: Cabo Verde says linking civil registration and national ID systems helped it reach 99% birth registration in five years. Ebola Watch: WHO declared an international health emergency over a Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda, while noting it doesn’t meet pandemic emergency criteria. Payments Deal for Côte d’Ivoire: Ivorian fintech Cauridor raised a Series A, including $2m from Proparco, expanding cash-and-mobile payment rails across West Africa. Energy Tech in Abidjan: SPE Africa announced ATC 2026 (16–18 June) with a new Africa Gas and Innovations Summit on Day Two.

Ebola Alarm at the Borders: A fresh Ebola scare is pushing calls for tighter border surveillance after WHO flagged a public health emergency tied to cases in DRC and Uganda—while Nigeria’s experts warn complacency could trigger a repeat of 2014. Digital ID Security: At ID4Africa in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire’s ANSSI chief said digital identity is now “survival and sovereignty,” urging cybersecurity built in from the start as AI-driven attacks and ransomware rise. Biometrics for National IDs: GripID launched its V10 portable enrollment device at ID4Africa, packing dual-iris, face, fingerprint, and document capture into one mobile station. Payments in the Real World: Ivorian fintech Cauridor raised Series A funding including $2m from Proparco to speed cross-border remittances across cash agents and mobile money. Energy & Industry Spotlight: SPE Africa announced ATC 2026 in Abidjan (June 16–18) with a new Africa Gas and Innovations Summit. Oil Market Whiplash: Supply worries keep oil prices swinging as the US extends a Russian oil waiver and Iran headlines intensify uncertainty.

Sahel Security Shock: A new open-source security map says the AES project has failed “systematically,” with Burkina Faso worst off (over 90% of territory jihadists control or contest) and Mali sliding into a more dangerous, hard-to-reverse phase. Biometrics for ID: GripID launched its V10 portable biometric enrollment device at ID4Africa in Abidjan, packing dual-iris, face, fingerprint, card reading, document scanning and signature capture into one field-ready unit. Digital ID Security Push: At ID4Africa’s AGM, experts warned digital identity is now critical infrastructure and argued cybersecurity must be built in from the start, not bolted on later. Ivorian Fintech Momentum: Cauridor raised a Series A including $2m from Proparco to expand cash-and-mobile payment rails across West Africa. Tech Event Watch: SPE Africa unveiled the programme for ATC 2026 in Abidjan (16–18 June).

Sahel Reality Check: A new open-source security map paints a grim picture of the AES project’s failure, with Burkina Faso showing over 90% of territory under jihadist control or contested—while Mali’s north is described as crossing a “strategic irreversibility” line. Regional Security Push: In Abidjan, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies Nigeria chapter called for tighter West African coordination and oversight to tackle terrorism and violent extremism. Digital Identity Momentum: ID4Africa in Abidjan is doubling down on legal and digital identity for refugees and stateless people, while Côte d’Ivoire’s security agency stresses digital ID as critical infrastructure needing sovereign cyber defense. Payments Deal in Côte d’Ivoire: Ivorian fintech Cauridor raises Series A funding, including $2m from Proparco, to connect global money senders to mobile money and cash agents. Ebola Alert: WHO declared an international public health emergency over Ebola (Bundibugyo virus) in DRC and Uganda, but says it doesn’t meet pandemic emergency criteria.

Ebola Alert: The WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern on May 17 after a Bundibugyo virus outbreak in the DRC and Uganda, stressing it’s not a “pandemic emergency” even as the threat stays active. Digital ID Security: At ID4Africa in Abidjan, experts warned digital identity is now “critical national infrastructure,” pushing countries to bake cyber defense into systems from the start. Refugee Inclusion: ID4Africa speakers also urged governments to expand legal and digital identity access for refugees and stateless people, linking civil registration to national ID platforms. Payments Boost: Ivorian fintech Cauridor raised a Series A with $2m from Proparco to improve cross-border remittances via cash agents and mobile money. World Cup Build-up: FIFA’s 2026 tournament is set for June 11–July 19, with visa bond waivers for ticketed fans from some qualified African nations including Côte d’Ivoire. Health Tech Nearby: Togo is preparing a unified digital platform for universal health insurance reimbursements.

Ebola Update: A new explainer lays out how Ebola attacks blood vessels, spreads through close contact with blood and bodily fluids, and can be prevented with vaccines and treated with medicines—while outbreaks in places including DRC, Gabon, South Africa, and even Ivory Coast show the fight is far from over. France vs Russia in West Africa: Coverage revisits how France’s military footprint has been dismantled across the Sahel and West Africa, opening space for Russia’s push—turning a once “unthinkable” retreat into a documented shift. Digital ID Push in Abidjan: At ID4Africa, officials and agencies urged governments to include refugees and stateless people in legal identity systems, and warned that digital identity is now critical infrastructure needing sovereign cyber defence. Gold Race: Ghana’s Chamber of Mines warns Côte d’Ivoire is targeting gold leadership with a long-term strategy—mirroring how it overtook cocoa. World Cup Fever: FIFA’s 2026 tournament is framed as a massive global draw, with heat and late-night viewing already set to disrupt routines.

Digital ID Inclusion Push: At ID4Africa’s 2026 AGM in Abidjan, speakers urged African governments to expand legal and digital identity for refugees and stateless people, warning that disconnected civil registration and identity systems still leave millions outside formal coverage. Cybersecurity as Sovereignty: The same meeting stressed that digital identity is now “critical infrastructure,” calling for cybersecurity built in from the start to defend against AI-driven attacks and ransomware. Ghana Card Spotlight: Ghana’s identity model was held up as a benchmark for interoperability, with the Ghana Card linked across banking, telecoms, healthcare, taxation, transport and social protection. Côte d’Ivoire Tech & Economy: In parallel, Côte d’Ivoire’s gold ambitions drew fresh attention as Ghana’s Chamber of Mines warned it could lose ground. World Cup Fever (Tech angle): With the tournament about to kick off, visa-bond waivers for ticketed fans and “football sickies” planning in workplaces are already shaping travel and schedules.

Gold Race Warning: Ghana’s Chamber of Mines says Côte d’Ivoire is moving fast to steal the lead in West Africa’s gold sector, arguing that investors follow predictable rules more than geology—right as Ghana debates Gold Fields’ Tarkwa Mine lease extension. World Cup Build-Up: FIFA’s 2026 tournament is now in full swing mode, with base camps and training logistics tightening, plus fresh US visa-bond waivers for ticketed fans from qualified countries including Côte d’Ivoire. Heat Pressure on Players: Organisers face a real challenge—this World Cup runs in peak summer, and heat risk is about how bodies experience conditions, not just the thermometer. Digital ID Security in Abidjan: At ID4Africa, experts pushed digital identity as critical national infrastructure, warning that cybersecurity must be built in from day one. Health Tech & Policy: Ghana commissioned a PET-CT scan facility for cancer care, while President Mahama ended blanket tax exemptions for imported medical equipment.

World Cup Countdown: FIFA’s base-camp and training plans are now the big focus as squads near finalisation ahead of the June 11 opener in Mexico, with host nations preparing hospitality for teams arriving in the US, Mexico and Canada. Visa Relief for Fans: The US will waive visa bond requirements for ticketed World Cup players, staff and fans from several qualifying countries, including Côte d’Ivoire—an easier route for supporters heading to matches. Digital ID Security in Focus (ID4Africa): At ID4Africa in Abidjan, experts warned digital identity is now “critical infrastructure,” pushing for cybersecurity built in from the start, not bolted on later. Abidjan Church Appointment: Abidjan’s auxiliary bishop-elect Mons. Kouamé pledged “service to the end,” as he begins his episcopal ministry. Ports & Trade Talk in Accra: Ghana will host the 7th Africa Ports Forum on 20–21 May, spotlighting smart, green and digitally transformed port systems. Tech & Fraud Watch: A new $50M-funded startup, Frame, targets AI impersonation threats aimed at identity and verification systems.

World Cup Momentum: FIFA says the 2026 tournament will be watched by about six billion people worldwide, with 6.5 million expected at venues—while the US eases visa-bond rules for ticketed fans from qualified countries, including Côte d’Ivoire. Abidjan Church Update: Abidjan’s new auxiliary bishop, Mons. Kouamé, pledged “to be a servant to the end,” framing the role as humble service for the archdiocese. Digital ID Security: At ID4Africa in Abidjan, experts warned digital identity is now “critical infrastructure,” pushing for cybersecurity built in from the start and tied to national sovereignty. Ports & Trade: Ghana’s Accra will host the 7th Africa Ports Forum on 20–21 May, focusing on smart, green logistics, digital customs, and financing. Côte d’Ivoire Tech & Economy: CODEVASF (Brazil) and Côte d’Ivoire signed a cooperation deal to upgrade livestock and fisheries for more local animal protein. Business/Mining: Aurum lifted Boundiali’s gold resource to 3.22Moz, feeding into its next pre-feasibility work.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Ticketing & Visa Relief: FIFA boss Gianni Infantino says the tournament will be watched by about six billion people, with 6.5 million at venues. In a boost for fans from Africa, the US will waive “visa bond” requirements for supporters from 50 developing countries who already have match tickets—yet Ivory Coast, Algeria, Senegal, Cape Verde and Tunisia are still among those affected by the bond rules, so ticket holders should double-check entry terms. Digital ID Security in Côte d’Ivoire: At ID4Africa in Abidjan, experts warned digital identity is now critical infrastructure that needs sovereign cyber defence, with security built in from procurement—not bolted on later. Hackathon Momentum: Senegal’s team won the Africa Digital Identity Hackathon for practical ID-based solutions. Local Tech & Policy Signals: Ghana highlighted its highly integrated, interoperable identity system at ID4Africa, while Togo is pushing a unified digital health insurance platform. Business & Resources: Allied Gold reported Q1 production of 96,016 ounces, and Aurum upgraded Côte d’Ivoire’s Boundiali gold resource to 3.22Moz.