Honestly, if you’re looking at Ivory Coast right now, forget the old brochures. The vibe in Abidjan today is a wild mix of "we just started a new era" and "wait, didn't we see this before?" It’s a Sunday, and while the rest of the world is focused on the AFCON final in Morocco, Ivorians are waking up to a political landscape that just got a massive facelift—at least on paper.
Basically, the big news in Ivory Coast today is the sudden, decisive elevation of Patrick Achi.
On Saturday, January 17, Achi—the former Prime Minister—was elected as the President of the National Assembly. He pulled 253 votes. It wasn't even close. This matters because it marks the official start of the 3rd legislature of the 3rd Republic. If you’ve been following the drama, you know the cabinet just resigned on January 7 following the December 27 legislative elections. The ruling RHDP (Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace) basically owns the room now, holding over 75% of the seats.
The Fourth Term Reality and the Power Vacuum
It’s kinda crazy when you think about it. President Alassane Ouattara, now 83, is officially in his fourth term. He secured nearly 90% of the vote back in October, but that number doesn't tell the whole story. The opposition says the system is rigged. People like Billon conceded, but the streets of neighborhoods like Blockhauss in Abidjan still remember the tear gas from the protests.
Right now, the country is in a weird holding pattern.
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We have a new Assembly President, but we don’t have a full cabinet. Ouattara is actually in France right now—he left on January 8 for an official visit. People are whispering that he’s there to talk about the CFA franc and regional security, but back home, the real question is who is going to be the new Prime Minister.
Why the Economy is Still the Star of the Show
Despite all the political tension, the money side of things is actually doing okay. Better than okay, really.
The IMF is projecting a GDP growth of 6.4% for 2026. That’s huge. While neighboring countries are struggling with massive debt, Ivory Coast is sitting on a 1.5% inflation rate. You've got the Baleine oil field (Phase 3) heading toward a final investment decision, and the government just dropped 10 billion CFA francs on a new digital master plan to modernize public services.
- Digitalization: They want to interconnect all government platforms by 2030.
- Electricity: A massive survey is happening right now to find every single village that still doesn't have power.
- Cocoa: Still the king, but they are desperately trying to process more of it locally instead of just shipping raw beans.
It's a lot.
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The AFCON Hangover and the Trump Factor
You can't talk about Ivory Coast today without mentioning football. The national team, the "Elephants," were the defending champions of AFCON, but Egypt knocked them out in the quarter-finals on January 10. It sucked for the fans. But there’s a weirder story brewing: the "Trump Travel Ban."
There's a lot of anxiety in Abidjan about fans being able to travel to the US for the World Cup in June. Since Ivory Coast is on a list of nations facing new travel restrictions, fans who already bought tickets are essentially in limbo. It’s the kind of thing that makes people angry because it feels like the goalposts keep moving.
Infrastructure: More Than Just Abidjan
If you drive through the country, you’ll see the "America First" aid strategy in action—a $480 million deal signed just a few weeks ago. They’re building roads, but they’re also beefing up the northern border. Why? Because the "unusual flow" of refugees from Mali isn't slowing down. It’s a security headache that the new government will have to handle the second they get sworn in.
Honestly, the "news in ivory coast today" isn't just one thing. It's the friction between a booming economy and an aging political class that refuses to let go.
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What You Should Actually Do With This Information
If you’re looking to invest or just move around the country, here is the ground-level reality:
- Watch the Cabinet Appointments: The next Prime Minister will tell you if Ouattara is planning for a successor or just doubling down on his inner circle.
- Energy is the Play: If you’re in business, the "Survey of Non-Electrified Areas" is a roadmap for where the next ten years of infrastructure spending will go.
- Tech is Growing: The new 83.2 billion CFA franc budget for digital transition is a 37% increase from last year. That’s where the jobs are shifting.
The country is stable, but it's a "forced" stability. Everyone is waiting to see if this new legislature can actually bridge the gap with the youth, or if they’re just going to keep building shiny bridges in Abidjan while the rest of the country watches from the sidelines.
Get your paperwork in order if you're planning on any major transactions this quarter, as the administrative shifts during a cabinet change always slow down the bureaucracy. Monitor the official journal (Journal Officiel de la République de Côte d'Ivoire) for the formal decree on the new ministerial list, which is expected before the end of the month.