AFD: Safia Ibrahim succeeds Lionel Yondo Black as Regional Director for the Gulf of Guinea

Safia Ibrahim has been appointed the new Regional Director for the Gulf of Guinea at the French Development Agency (AFD), succeeding Lionel Yondo Black. She was introduced to the press during a conference on September 18, 2026, in Abidjan. Ibrahim emphasized the strategic importance of the region for the AFD and paid tribute to her predecessor's achievements, who oversaw investments of 5.4 billion euros in eight West African countries between 2020 and 2025.