With a population of 22 million and a GDP of US$40 billion, Côte d'Ivoire is the second largest economy in West Africa after Nigeria and is critical to the overall development of the sub-region. Cote d'Ivoire is a lower-middle income country with a gross national income (GNI) per capita of

$1,540 (Atlas method) in 2017. Cote d'Ivoire has a rich endowment in natural resources, making it the world's leading cocoa and cashew nuts producer, while oil and gas exploration is ongoing. Despite its economic potential, years of political and social instability, punctuated by a brief armed conflict that divided the country in 2002, have taken a heavy toll on the country, pushing what was once a model African nation into a fragile situation. However, despite this fragile state, Côte d'Ivoire has lately made an impressive transition from crisis to relative stability and from economic decline to an aspiring emerging economy status. Although some of the root causes of the conflict remain valid, there are high expectations that they will be tackled if the current transformation is maintained and the reconciliation agenda is intensified.

The economic structure is dominated by Services, with 47 percent of real GDP and Industry, 24 percent, including 12 percent for Manufacturing, while Agriculture accounts for 18 percent^[1].

_{[1] Based on last 5-year average (Economic Intelligence Unit database, July 2018).}