Côte d’Ivoire Sustainability-Linked Financing (SLF) Framework

Côte d’Ivoire is transforming its economy to drive sustained and resilient economic growth while becoming a leader of sustainable finance innovation in the continent with the issuance of the first sovereign sustainability-linked transaction in Africa. As the largest economy in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), it has delivered strong economic results—real GDP growth averaged 7 % annually between 2012 and 2023.1 Building on this momentum, the country aims to achieve middle-income status by 2030, double GDP per capita, and reduce poverty to 20 %. Central to this vision is a transition to a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth model.

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Côte d’Ivoire is financing its sustainable development transition by developing its access to the international sustainable finance market. In 2021, the Ministry of Finance elaborated its inaugural Sustainable Finance Framework, which was updated in 2023 and reviewed by Sustainalytics. Through this Framework, the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire mobilized around USD 2.4 billion in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)-labelled bonds and loans to fund eligible public budget expenditures. Building on this, the government is now introducing its Sustainability-Linked Financing (SLF) Framework to further diversify financing instruments for its sustainable development agenda, shifting away from Use of Proceeds-based instruments to Performance-Linked instruments.

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The energy and forestry sectors are critical pillars to Côte d’Ivoire’s sustainable development strategy and to ensure the country’s resiliency to economic and climate shocks. Despite contributing only 0.1 % of global emissions, Côte d’Ivoire has made ambitious commitments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to preserve its natural capital as part of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). The energy and forestry sectors are the largest contributors to GHG emissions, contributing 22 % and 70 % of total CO2 equivalent emissions2. At the same time, both sectors are critical to the country’s economy, contributing significantly to its exports and foreign exchange earnings.

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