Green funding, carbon credits, and pioneering business opportunities will take center stage at the upcoming International Forum for Sustainable Development (FIDD) 2026. The official launch event, led by the forum’s General Commissioner Tra Bi Michael, took place in Cocody, unveiling the ambitious roadmap for this major gathering.

Scheduled for October 13 and 14, 2026, at the CGECI headquarters in Plateau, the forum is set to attract over 3,000 attendees, dozens of experts, and international delegates. Under the banner “Sustainable Development, Innovation, and Competitiveness: Transforming Economic Models for Responsible Growth,” the event aims to position eco-friendly practices as vital drivers of profitability and value creation.

Rethinking economic models for responsible growth

The organizers aim to accelerate the mobilization of green finance, unlock climate funds, and foster the regional carbon market, while connecting local economic players with global investors. Tra Bi Michael outlined the forum’s structural vision, describing it as a dynamic platform for dialogue between state authorities, private corporations, financial backers, experts, civil society, and project developers.

Discussions will span high-potential sectors such as the circular economy, green finance, corporate social responsibility (CSR), carbon footprint management, green skills, artificial intelligence, and sustainable agribusiness.

A comprehensive program targeting green innovation

Attendees can look forward to a diverse lineup featuring panel discussions, specialized workshops, masterclasses, exhibitions, an innovation contest, targeted B2B networking sessions, and a job dating space designed to connect youth with green transition career paths.

The overarching goal is to foster a business-friendly ecosystem. Through dedicated B2B meetings, entrepreneurs and innovators will have the opportunity to pitch to investors, exploring fresh funding avenues and strategic partnerships.

Addressing environmental challenges and economic losses

Rather than halting industrial activities, the focus is on transforming operational methods. Representatives from the Ministry of Environment and Ecological Transition emphasized that economic progress must harmonize with environmental preservation. They highlighted critical challenges like illegal gold mining, which drains 46 billion FCFA annually from the economy while causing severe ecological and social damage.

Education and employment also remain central pillars of the event. Organizers view the ecological transition as a powerful catalyst for creating new career paths and professional opportunities for African youth.

By drawing participants from Mali, Guinée, Sénégal, Burkina Faso, Mauritanie, and Centrafrique, FIDD 2026 seeks to establish a robust regional framework for sustainable investments and collaborative economic models across West Africa and beyond.