Alastair Long in Abidjan: London sends its Commissioner for Africa to boost the partnership

Alastair Long, the UK Trade Commissioner for Africa, is making his first visit to Ivory Coast from October 13 to 16, 2026, two months after his appointment. In 2025, bilateral trade reached 1.1 billion pounds, approximately 840 billion FCFA, with a 23.5% increase. The visit focuses on education, railways, and life sciences, including health partnerships with AstraZeneca, aiming to deepen economic ties and support Ivory Coast's goal to reach upper-middle-income status by 2030.