On April 1, Hon. Alhaji Dr Kandeh K. Yumkella, Special Envoy for the West African Integration and Investment Summit (WAIIS), paid a visit to Abidjan on behalf of H.E. President Julius Maada Bio to discuss preparations for the summit, which is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026. President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire praised the initiative’s potential to strengthen economic integration, expand regional markets, and attract private sector investment in West Africa.
During the mission, Dr Yumkella met with African Development Bank President Dr Sidi Ould Tah and attended the EU Regional Business Forum on “Unlocking Investment along West Africa’s Strategic Corridors.” He was also a special guest at the launch of the African Development Bank’s 2026 Africa Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook Report.
The Special Envoy met with government officials and development partners to brief them on WAIIS and highlight a preparatory Expert Group Meeting and Ministerial Conference scheduled for April 28-30, 2026, in Freetown. He met with ministers from Côte d’Ivoire, Zimbabwe, and Liberia, as well as AfDB Chief Economist Professor Kevin Urama, who recalled conducting industrial competitiveness surveys under Dr Yumkella’s supervision while working for UNIDO in Nigeria from 2000 to 2003.
Dr Yumkella’s delegation included AfCEN Vice President Roberto Ridolfi and Sierra Leone’s Director of Renewable Energy, Sahr Abraham Grass-Sessay (PI-CREF).
