🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire

Côte d'Ivoire is West Africa's economic engine — a country of 28 million with a GDP of about $70 billion that's been growing at 6-7% annually, among the fastest in Africa. It produces 40% of the world's cocoa, making it the undisputed chocolate capital of the planet. Abidjan is West Africa's most cosmopolitan city, with a skyline that rivals many European capitals. The country went through a devastating civil war (2002-2011) but has recovered remarkably. French is the official language, and the CFA franc (pegged to the euro) provides monetary stability.

Cocoa is the backbone — about 2 million tonnes annually, worth roughly $6 billion in exports. Cashew nuts (world's largest producer), rubber, palm oil, and petroleum round out the export mix. The Port of Abidjan handles trade for several landlocked neighbors. France and the Netherlands are major trade partners. The government has invested heavily in infrastructure — new bridges, highways, and a metro system for Abidjan are underway.

Despite producing 40% of the world's cocoa, most Ivorians have never tasted chocolate — the beans are exported raw and processed elsewhere. The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro is the largest church in the world by area, larger than St. Peter's in Rome, built in a city of 200,000 people. Côte d'Ivoire's Taï National Park contains the last significant patch of primary rainforest in West Africa.

Côte d'Ivoire is West Africa's growth story, and the fundamentals are strong. The risk is political — the 2020 election was contentious, and the cocoa sector needs to move up the value chain to capture more of the $130 billion global chocolate market.