The chief of staff for Côte d’Ivoire’s minister of digital transition, Raymond Assoua, met a delegation from Russia’s Skolkovo Foundation in Abidjan on Monday to discuss cooperation in technology and innovation.
The delegation was led by Alexey Saltykov, the Russian ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire. The meeting was part of a bilateral program aimed at increasing exchanges between the two countries in digital sectors, technological innovation, and the development of innovation ecosystems.
Talks focused on several strategic priorities, including the development of technology hubs, integrating artificial intelligence in public and private sectors, and accelerating the digitization of administrative services. The Russian mission also presented Skolkovo’s expertise in innovation ecosystem design, a model that could inform Côte d’Ivoire’s ambitions for tech cities.
Concrete collaboration ideas were identified between the Skolkovo Foundation and VITIB, the Ivorian technology park in Grand-Bassam. The VITIB director general outlined existing infrastructure and active projects, creating a pathway for future joint work in startup incubation, applied research, and sovereign digital services.
The visit comes shortly after the National Assembly approved an 83.27 billion CFA franc ($146 million) budget for 2026 to support Côte d’Ivoire’s digital transformation. The funding will be used to modernize the postal sector, expand universal electronic communications access, and strengthen the digital economy.
The Skolkovo Foundation is a major Russian innovation hub that supports tech startups, develops technology parks, and conducts AI research through its partnership with the Skoltech Institute. The organization’s expertise may help Côte d’Ivoire train talent and launch pilot projects in innovation and digital services.
No formal agreement has been announced, but the delegation was scheduled to visit VITIB on Tuesday for further technical discussions and partnership exploration.
