Regional economic cooperation: APIEx and CEPICI sign a Memorandum of Understanding to boost investment attractiveness between Benin and Côte d'Ivoire

Benin's Investment and Export Promotion Agency (APIEx) and the Centre de Promotion des Investissements en Côte d'Ivoire (CEPICI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Abidjan on Wednesday January 21, 2026, to formalize and strengthen their institutional cooperation in investment promotion and facilitation.

The agreement was signed by Mr. Éric AKOUTE, Managing Director of APIEx, and Ms. Solange AMICHIA, Managing Director of CEPICI , who is also President of the Réseau des Agences Promotion des Investissements de l'UEMOA (RAPI-UEMOA). of CEPICI, also President of the Réseau des Agences de Promotion des Investissements de l'UEMOA (RAPI-UEMOA). The ceremony is part of a benchmarking mission initiated by APIEx, focused on sharing best practices and strengthening synergies between African investment promotion agencies.

This initiative, led by APIEx Benin, has been warmly welcomed by CEPICI's General Management, which sees it as an exemplary approach to South-South cooperation, based on the sharing of best practices and the strengthening of synergies between African investment promotion agencies.This initiative, supported by APIEx Benin, has been warmly welcomed by CEPICI's General Management, which sees it as an exemplary approach to South-South cooperation, based on complementarity, the pooling of expertise and the search for concrete solutions to improve the economic attractiveness of African countries.

The Memorandum of Understanding signed establishes a structured framework for collaboration around several strategic axes, including:

●exchange of information and experience on economic and industrial development, the business environment and investment opportunitiesinvestment opportunities;

●facilitating the implementation of investment projects undertaken by Beninese and Ivorian economic operators;

● identifying and putting in touchidentification and matchmaking of business and technical partners interested in projects in both countries;

●co-organization of B2B meetings, forums, seminars and economiceconomic promotion events;

●the implementation of any joint action aimed at strengthening investment promotion in Benin and Côte d'Ivoire.

Through this agreement, the two Institutions intend to enhance the clarity of their support systems, improve the quality of service offered to investors, and actively contribute to the dynamics of regional economic integration.

The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding marks an important step in the strategic rapprochement between Benin and Côte d'Ivoire, and illustrates their shared ambition to build a strong African cooperation.ambition to build pragmatic African cooperation, focused on impact, value creation and the structural transformation of economies.

Source: www.gouv.bj/