Côte d’Ivoire took a transformative step today with the official launch of the Electronic Administration Support Project (PARAE), a flagship initiative backed by the African Development Bank. The launch event, held at the Sofitel Hôtel Ivoire in Abidjan on 13 March also featured the unveiling of the country’s National Strategies for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Governance by Prime Minister, Robert Beugré Mambé, signalling the country’s bold ambition to modernize governance and cement its status as a digital leader in West Africa.

Rooted in the National Digital Development Strategy (2021-2025), PARAE aims to overhaul public administration by digitalizing public services, enhancing interoperability between government systems, strengthening cybersecurity through the upgrade of the Government Security Operation Center (SOC) and roll out of an eco-friendly government data center. The project promises to cut costs, slash bureaucratic delays, and improve transparency -- making public services more accessible to citizens and businesses. Supported by a 49 billion CFA franc ($80 million) investment from the African Development Bank Group, it is a cornerstone of President Alassane Ouattara’s vision to double the digital sector’s contribution to GDP by 2030.

“We are building a Côte d’Ivoire where technology lifts every sector and every citizen,” affirmed Prime Minister Mambé, who presided over the ceremony.

The country’s Minister of Digital Transition and Digitization, Ibrahim Kalil Konaté, added, “The digital future of Côte d’Ivoire rests on our collective capacity to innovate, anticipate, and adopt technological solutions suited to our realities and aspirations.”

Highlighting the Bank’s support for initiatives fostering digital sovereignty and inclusive growth, Deputy Director General for West Africa, and Country Manager for Côte d’Ivoire, Dr. Joseph Ribeiro, said, “Côte d’Ivoire is laying  the foundations of a modern and innovative administration, where citizens and businesses can easily access the services they need, without bureaucratic hurdles or excessive delays.”

PARAE seeks to catalyze digital innovation through the operationalization of the Ivorian Innovation Fund (FII), a 131 billion FCFA (262 million USD) fund set by the African Development Bank in collaboration with the Ivorian government in 2016 to empower local startups, especially those led by youth and women. With over 75 percent of Ivoirians under 35, the project aims to boost jobs creation in the digital sector.

The new AI Strategy prioritizes robust infrastructure, ethical adoption, and inclusion, with benefits for all citizens. There are plans to set up an AI laboratory within the eminent City of Innovation and Culture, reflecting Côte d’Ivoire’s drive to become a regional tech hub that fosters research, training, and entrepreneurship.

PARAE is expected to build on recent efforts like the Génie project- a $8.25 Million  project by the Government of Cote d'Ivoire in collaboration with partners, which democratizes digital access for youth, positioning Cote d’Ivoire as a country that harnesses technology to boost cross-sector competitiveness and reduce inequality while also preserving local languages and cultures.