Côte d’Ivoire takes bold step toward 2045 national spatial planning framework
National workshop validates groundbreaking Côte d’Ivoire 2045 spatial planning blueprint
Abidjan hosted a landmark gathering this week as Dr. Souleymane DIARRASSOUBA, Minister of Planning and Development, led the national validation workshop for Côte d’Ivoire’s National Spatial Planning Scheme (SNAT CI-2045). The high-level event brought together key stakeholders including government institutions, prefectural officials, local authorities, technical and financial partners, public administrations, private sector representatives, civil society, academia, experts, and media representatives.
The milestone session marks a critical juncture in Côte d’Ivoire’s journey toward adopting its first-ever national territorial planning reference framework. Once implemented, the SNAT CI-2045 will equip the state with a comprehensive tool to guide public and private investments, enhance the effectiveness of government action, and promote more balanced regional development across the nation.
Strategic planning under presidential leadership
Under the strategic vision of President Alassane Ouattara, the government continues to strengthen its national strategic planning framework to support the country’s economic, social, and environmental transformations. Territorial planning stands at the heart of this initiative, ensuring a more equitable distribution of investments, unlocking regional potential, and reinforcing the coherence of development policies.
The SNAT CI-2045 will serve as the definitive framework for long-term spatial development organization. It will systematically structure the placement of public and private investments while harmonizing the efforts of national and local authorities, assigning each territory specific developmental roles tailored to its unique characteristics.
Coordinated effort to address national challenges
« The 2026-2030 National Development Plan (NDP) sets medium-term priorities and investments for national growth. The SNAT CI-2045 translates these priorities into territorial terms within a long-term perspective and will underpin 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 finds its rightful place in the national development trajectory, » explained Dr. DIARRASSOUBA.
The validated orientations represent the culmination of a meticulous, participatory, and multi-scale consultation process. They draw from an in-depth national territory analysis and directly address critical challenges: reducing regional disparities, managing urban growth, boosting territorial competitiveness, improving local governance, preserving natural resources, and strengthening regional integration.
Five strategic pillars for Côte d’Ivoire’s future
The SNAT CI-2045 embodies an ambitious vision for a Côte d’Ivoire with resilient territories, competitive economies, and shared prosperity. It rests on five strategic pillars:
- Balanced territorial development
- Optimized urban and rural network organization
- Strengthened territorial governance
- High-performance, resilient, and inclusive economy
- Accelerated climate transition
Following the workshop, the draft scheme will proceed to government approval before parliamentary adoption of the law establishing the National Spatial Planning Scheme. Côte d’Ivoire is poised to gain its first national territorial planning reference, which will guide state action in directing investments toward areas where they will have the most transformative impact, fostering more balanced development nationwide.
