Held under the patronage of His Excellency Téné Birahima Ouattara, the Diaspora for Growth Forum 2026, held in Paris from June 26 to 27, 2026, established itself as a major strategic event dedicated to the economic mobilization of the Ivorian diaspora.

Bringing together more than 1,000 participants, including members of the Government, representatives of the diaspora, technical and financial partners, and private investors, this meeting strengthened the links between Ivorians abroad and investment opportunities in Côte d’Ivoire.

GUDE-PME was represented at two levels at this event.

The Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Mr. Emmanuel Esmel ESSIS, former Director General of CEPICI and former Minister of Investment Promotion and Private Sector Development, participated in the high-level ministerial panel dedicated to the theme: “Invest, Transfer, Succeed: Connecting Diaspora Talents with National Champions for a Greater, Ambitious, and United Côte d’Ivoire.” His participation illustrates GUDE-PME’s commitment to contributing to the national strategy for mobilizing the diaspora for economic development.

The Director General, Mr. Yaya OUATTARA, spoke at Panel 2, which focused on the structural transformation of the Ivorian economy through the diaspora. He presented the ongoing reforms in SME financing, highlighting GUDE-PME’s role as an interface between diaspora resources and the national entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Through this dual participation, GUDE-PME reaffirms its commitment to supporting Ivorian SMEs and strengthening ties between the diaspora and the national economic fabric, in order to promote inclusive, sustainable growth that creates opportunities for all.