Côte d’Ivoire’s national spatial planning framework gains momentum with 2045 vision

This week in Abidjan, Dr. Souleymane DIARRASSOUBA, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Planning and Development, led a pivotal national workshop to validate the study for the National Spatial Planning Framework (SNAT CI-2045). The gathering brought together representatives from government institutions, prefectural bodies, local authorities, technical and financial partners, alongside public administrations, the private sector, civil society, academia, experts, and media representatives.

This milestone paves the way for adopting Côte d’Ivoire’s first-ever national territorial planning reference document. The SNAT CI-2045 will equip the state with a comprehensive framework to guide public and private investments sustainably, enhance the efficiency of government action, and promote a more balanced territorial development across the country.

Under the leadership of His Excellency Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic, the government is reinforcing its national strategic planning framework to support the country’s economic, social, and environmental transformations. Territorial planning plays a critical role in this vision by ensuring a fairer distribution of investments, unlocking regional potential, and strengthening the coherence of development policies.

The SNAT CI-2045 is set to become the long-term reference for spatial organization in the country. It will structure the placement of public and private investments while aligning state actions, local authorities, and development stakeholders. Each territory will be assigned specific roles to maximize its unique advantages.

« The National Development Plan 2026-2030 outlines medium-term priorities and investments for national growth. The SNAT CI-2045 translates these priorities into a territorial vision, ensuring long-term alignment and serving as the foundation for future National Development Plans. Together, these frameworks enable coherent public action across the entire territory. Our responsibility, as the ministry overseeing territorial planning and regional development, is to ensure every region plays its part in the nation’s progress, » Dr. Souleymane DIARRASSOUBA stated.

The validated orientations mark the culmination of a scientific, participatory, and multi-scale consultation process. They are grounded in an in-depth analysis of the national territory and address key challenges such as reducing regional disparities, managing urban growth, boosting territorial competitiveness, improving local governance, preserving natural resources, and deepening regional integration.

The SNAT CI-2045 embodies Côte d’Ivoire’s ambition to build resilient, competitive territories that foster shared prosperity. It is structured around five strategic pillars: balanced territorial development, efficient urban and rural networks, strengthened territorial governance, a high-performing, resilient, and inclusive economy, and accelerated climate transition.

Following the workshop, the draft framework will be submitted to the government before being presented to Parliament for adoption. Once finalized, Côte d’Ivoire will have its first national territorial planning reference, guiding state actions to direct investments toward high-impact regions and foster a more balanced nationwide development.