Following several working sessions held in 2024 between the Directorate of Planning, Statistics, Projects and Foresight (DPSPP) of the Ministry of Transport and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), JICA conducted a working visit to Côte d’Ivoire from Thursday, 15 to Monday, 19 January 2026 to carry out studies covering the full range of projects in the railway sector. This initiative reflects the determination of the Ivorian authorities to place railway projects on a sustainable footing through rigorous planning and high-level technical partnerships.
In this context, a strategic meeting was held at the headquarters of the Ivorian Railway Asset Management Company (SIPF), under the chairmanship of its Director General, Mr Cissé Moustapha. The meeting brought together JICA, SITARAIL, and the DPSPP, which is responsible for the institutional coordination of the process for selecting and financing studies relating to structurally significant railway projects. The discussions provided an opportunity to review the progress of ongoing projects, notably the Abidjan Metro, and to identify technical and economic study requirements for other railway projects.
This was followed by site visits to allow for a clearer understanding of the issues at stake. In Abidjan, the mission visited the Houphouët-Boigny Bridge Viaduct as well as the main maintenance facility of the Abidjan Metro.
In Bouaké, a working session was held with SITARAIL, followed by a rail inspection trip to Dimbokro, aimed at assessing the condition of the railway line to be rehabilitated. The experts also visited the RAN facilities in Bouaké and Dimbokro.
In San Pedro, discussions focused on studies for the San Pedro–Man–Odienné railway project, in connection with its strategic linkage to the Mineral Terminal at the Port of San Pedro. This connection represents a key lever for logistics and mining sector development. At the conclusion of the mission, JICA will produce a detailed report outlining the studies to be financed, the priority railway projects, and technical and strategic guidance for the development of the national railway sector.
