On December 4th, the Ivorian website INFODROME reported that the Ministerial Conference held on the 3rd approved the Integrated Minerals and Energy Policy (PIRME), which the Ivorian government will formally launch.
PIRME aims to transform the mining and energy sector into an engine of national economic growth, with the goal of increasing its contribution to GDP from 7% in 2022 to 14% in 2040, making it the second largest pillar of the country's economic development after agriculture.
PIRME is expected to invest 38 trillion CFA francs (approximately US$6.753 billion) over 15 years, divided into three five-year plans. Of this, 41% will be allocated to energy, 30% to mining, and 29% to oil and gas resources.
Minister of Energy and Mines, Coulibaly, stated that PIRME emphasizes the comprehensive development and utilization of resources such as gold, manganese, nickel, iron, lithium, and oil and gas, building a complete industrial chain from exploration to local processing. It aims to ensure complementarity between mining, oil and gas, and energy, guarantee fair income distribution and environmental protection, while ensuring that all citizens have access to reliable and reasonably priced energy. This marks a significant shift in the country's long-standing economic model centered on cash crops. PIRME is expected to propel Côte d'Ivoire into the ranks of Africa's leading gold producers and achieve its goal of producing 10 million tons of iron ore and 500,000 barrels of oil per day.
