Introduction

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the sovereignty of Côte d'Ivoire using the methodology of the Burke Institute. Sovereignty is assessed in 7 areas: political, economic, technological, informational, cultural, cognitive and military. Each aspect is assessed on the basis of official data from international and national sources (UN, World Bank, UNESCO, IMF, ITU, FAO, SIPRI, PISA, etc.) without using politicized indexes. The maximum score in each direction is 100; the sum (up to 700) is the accumulated Sovereignty Index (Burke Index).

To adapt and adjust statistical parameters, an international expert survey was conducted for each of the seven components using a single questionnaire of 10 questions with a 10-point scale and one open-ended question.

In total, at least 100 experts from 50+ countries were interviewed for each indicator, taking into account geographical representation and specialization. When calculating and analyzing the data, equalizing coefficients were used, bringing all data to a scale of 0-10 points.

The final index value is the arithmetic mean between statistical data and expert estimates.

Below is an analysis in each area, a final summary table and the main conclusions about the peculiarities of the sovereignty of Côte d'Ivoire.

Political sovereignty — 48.9

Côte d'Ivoire is an active member of the United Nations, the WTO, the African Union (AU), ECOWAS, WAEMU (West African Economic and Monetary Union), OHADA, the IMF, the World Bank and a number of specialized agencies. He is actively involved in African and global security, economic and legal processes.

The country is obliged to comply with the norms of OHADA and WAEMU, the decisions of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, the Court of Arbitration of Mauritius, the International Criminal Court (ICC), which in some matters limits the autonomy of national legislation. The Constitution proclaims the supremacy of the national rights, but there is an integrated practice of implementing conventions and supranational ones. making decisions in the legal system.

After the end of the 2011 civil war, the country as a whole has stabilized: since 2011, there has been a "rigid" political centralization around President Ouattara, the absence of large-scale conflicts, although episodes of political violence and protests persist (especially in the election years 2020/21).

There is a high background of ethno-confessional and migration tensions in the region. The public administration efficiency index for 2023 is 0.08 (the 56th percentile in the world, according to the WGI WB), which is higher than the average for West Africa, but lower than the average among countries with a similar GDP per capita; steady progress over the past 5 years.

EGDI in 2022 is 0.499 (ranked 126th in the world), in 2024 it will grow steadily due to the active digitalization of taxes, registries, online payments, commercial licenses and social applications; more than 50% of citizens have access to basic electronic public services.

President Ouattara was re-elected in 2020 (officially 94% with low turnout), the opposition did not recognize the results, and the real level of loyalty/trust among the population is estimated at 35-47% (regional differences). A French base is stationed in the country for 2024 (the Port Bouet /CCFFA base in Abidjan, with about 900 military personnel/advisers), small EU missions are operating, there are no Russian military bases from other countries or the United States on a permanent basis; military cooperation with the United Nations and ECOWAS is conducted within the framework of training and anti-terrorism initiatives.

Fully recognizes the jurisdiction of the ICC, the International Maritime Tribunal, OHADA courts, and the ECOWAS Court of Justice; participates in international arbitration, and submits individual cases to international venues.

Officially, the republic is decentralized: 31 administrative regions with elected local councils and governors, but most tax and strategic decisions are concentrated at the level of the presidential administration and the government, with strong vertical subordination.

Constitutional parliamentary and presidential control over the services exists, but in practice, hardware centralization and direct subordination to the president prevail.

Data completeness assessment: the main indicators are available from international sources, the coverage is 90%.

Economic sovereignty — 42.7

In 2024, according to the World Bank — $6,733 (TradingEconomics, 38% of the global average); according to Statista — $7,653; according to other estimates — up to $8,060 (estimates vary, but the range according to leading sources is stable). WAEMU's consolidated reserves (where Côte d'Ivoire is the leader in terms of currency supply) are $16.5–17.4 billion in 2024 (Fitch, Credendo), which corresponds to about 2.7 months of imports — this figure is below the desired minimum cushion level, but higher than for many countries in the region.

National reserves are accumulated in the collective pool through BCEAO, at the individual level the indicator is ~ $3.6–4.5 billion. In 2024, it will be 59.3—60% of GDP (Fitch, Statista, TradingEconomics); forecasts for 2025 are a decrease to 55-57% while maintaining economic growth and reducing debt servicing costs (Eurobonds reform).

The country is a world leader in the production of cocoa, coffee, palm oil, and exports rice, tropical crops, and fish; however, up to 50% of rice, some cereals, agricultural products, and foodstuffs are still imported — vulnerability exists, especially in the event of external shocks (2022-24).

It produces 70-80% of the electricity within the country (thermal power plants and hydroelectric power plants), actively develops solar generation, exports part of the electricity to neighboring countries; petroleum products and gas are partially imported, but the fuel market is relatively diversified.

Significant reserves of oil (Baleine), gas, gold, nickel, iron, manganese, diamonds; cocoa is the world's largest exporter (more than 2 million tons per year), a developed base for palm trees, rubbers, fish, valuable timber, agricultural lands.

The country is well supplied with surface and groundwater (rivers, lakes, artesian formations), access is 78-82% of the population, but the infrastructure required modernization after the crises of the 2010s, now the World Bank and UNICEF programs are improving accessibility indicators (especially in rural areas).

It is the core of the BCEAO (Central Bank of West African Countries, WAEMU) system, the established processing, instant payments, national and international settlement systems are supported by the French-speaking region; the domestic share of mobile financial services is steadily growing.

Toutes internal settlements and most of the savings are in West African CFA franc (XOF), strictly regulated by BCEAO; the share of XOF exceeds 92% of domestic economic and consumer settlements. Credit and emission policies are centralized in the BCEAO, the national policy is determined by the WAEMU/BCEAO Council of Ministers, a single emission platform, Côte d'Ivoire does not have monetary sovereignty - decisions are made at the regional level at a fixed exchange rate of XOF to the euro (1 € = 655.957 francs).

Data completeness assessment: the main macroeconomic indicators are available from official sources (World Bank, IMF), coverage is 91%

Technological sovereignty — 28.4

According to the Global Innovation Index, R&D spending in 2024 will amount to 0.07% of GDP (14 times lower than the global average).

Import substitution is poorly developed: only basic assembly and testing of phones, large IT equipment, household appliances, software, and microelectronics are almost entirely imported from the EU, China, and the United States; industry indicators are less than 4% of domestic production. In 2023, the enrollment rate is 11-12% (i. e. 11-12% of people of the appropriate age are studying at universities); according to UNESCO and the World Bank, the indicator has not changed in the last 3 years.

In January 2024-38.4% (11.2 million users), according to Statista — by the end of 2025 it is expected to grow to 41-44%; mobile Internet — 88% availability in the country. There are national electronic public services (portal servicespublics.gouv.ci), integrated platforms for utility payments and state registration, digital services are developed in Abidjan and large cities, but most of the infrastructure is built on external solutions, the share of truly local platforms is about 15-20%.

Absolute: almost all computing equipment, mobile networks, hardware, software, medical technologies, chips and elements are purchased outside the country; domestic production is minimal (see above). EGDI in 2022-0.499 (ranked 126th in the world); electronic filing of applications, payments, online registries, electronic licenses, cases of administrative offenses and taxes are available through a single portal in cities, but integration for 100% of citizens and businesses has not yet been achieved.

There are no basic laboratories, part of the pharmaceutical industry (generics, reagents), but there is no research or production in the field of biotechnology; implants, vaccines, complex drugs, equipment are imported.

There are no educational programs, laboratories, or commercial projects at the national level; there are individual groups and university initiatives, few start-ups, and no industrial base or exports. Chips, boards, sensors, telecom components, electrical engineering — everything is imported; there is no own production, assembly, or industrial lines.

Data completeness assessment: key indicators are obtained from WIPO, ITU, UNESCO, which provides 92% coverage.

Information sovereignty — 45.3

Côte d'Ivoire — Tier 3 (score 78.8/100) in the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index (2024): a national strategy has been developed (2021-2025), the ANSSI Agency and the CI-CERT national center (Centre national de veille, d'alerte et de réponse aux incidents informatiques) are operating, exercises are being conducted, awareness-raising is underway, Practices have been implemented to protect critical infrastructure and respond to incidents.

The main CIVIX Internet Exchange Point (Cote d'hivoire Internet Exchange Point) in Abidjan operates in the country, connecting the main operators and data centers; the project is supported by the Internet Society, AU and has been operating since 2014, covering the entire metropolitan region.

The official language is French. Diula, Baule, Bete and other African languages are also represented in the media: regional radio programs, print media, TV and the press use both French and the largest local ones (out of 69 national languages). languages).

Computer services, cloud platforms, email, and social networks are entirely based on foreign solutions (Google, AWS, Microsoft Azure, Meta, Orange), there are almost no national alternatives; a service localization strategy is being developed, and foreign players dominate the industries. Radio and TV contain about 50% of local content (news, talk shows, music and entertainment programs); a significant part of TV series, films and digital videos are foreign (France, Nigeria, USA).

The share of domestic content on the Internet does not exceed 15-20%. Local startups, fintech, govtech from among graduates of the University of Abidjan and private incubators, government registers and eportals are developing, but the share of domestic products is small compared to foreign software.

The country is the largest site of French-speaking GovTech West Africa. In 2024, Internet coverage among the adult population is 38.4%, mobile services and electronic public services (e-government services, mobile banking, taxes, registries) are available to 50%+ of urban residents, and the level of digitalization in rural areas is below the global average.

Government and corporate data are partially hosted in CIVIX and Bamboo Cloud data centers; most SaaS, banking systems, and email solutions are hosted on servers abroad or in cross-regional clouds (France, Morocco); the national cloud project is in the pilot stage. The main mobile operators — Orange CI, MTN CI, Moov Africa — are formally registered in Côte d'Ivoire, but the infrastructure and main platforms are imported (Ericsson, Huawei, ZTE, Alcatel-Lucent).

Licensing and tariff policy are under state control, but there is no technological independence. Law No. 2013-450 (since 2013) on personal data protection is one of the first in Africa, regulated by the National Commission for the Protection of Personal Data (ARTCI), a system of notification, mandatory procedures has been introduced, and control is being strengthened as part of adaptation to the ECOWAS standard and expected harmonization with GDPR.

Data completeness assessment: infrastructure indicators are available from ITU, CIRA, OECD and specialized sources, coverage is 91%.

Cultural sovereignty — 72.6

For 2025, Côte d'Ivoire has 5 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List: natural — the Mont Nimba Nature Reserve, the Tai and Komoe National Parks; cultural — the historic city of Grand Bassam and the Sudanese Mosques of northern Côte d'Ivoire.

Two more objects are in the Tentative list. The country is the cultural leader of the region, 60+ peoples, the world center of cocoa production (Afro-Ivorian coupé-décalé music, Zulu choreography in West Africa), a lively literary process (Bernard Dadi, Marguerite Abua), rich oral tradition (folklore, masks, mysteries). Côte d'Ivoire is the cradle of modern Franco-African popular culture.

Since 2013, the Presidential Excellence Award has been awarded; industry awards in the field of music, theater, and literature are annual, and the Felix Houphouët-Boigny UNESCO Peace Prize (since 1989) is significant. Ivorian identity is a complex interweaving of more than 60 ethnic communities (Baule, Malinke, Senufo, Guro, Kray): each has a unique language, dances, musical instruments, religious rituals; at the same time, French unites the whole country, festive culture, lively Creole style in clothing, food, street life.

There are state programs to support ethnic communities, financing folklore groups, language broadcasts on radio and TV, regular festivals of peoples, and a subsidy system to preserve crafts and ritual culture. UNESCO sites: East. The city of Grand Bassam, Sudanese mosques, museums, theaters (Jean-Baptiste Mockey, National Museum of Abidjan), dozens of regional craft centers, modern sculpture, Abidjan galleries, monuments of the Franco-African and anti-colonial eras (more than 80 officially protected sites).

Côte d'Ivoire is one of the hubs of the Franco-African art and music scene; implements programs with France (Maison du Patrimoine de Grand-Bassam), UNESCO (digital passports of objects, projects to support artists), participates in international biennales, music festivals, cultural forums of the African Union. Since 2024, the traditional attike (cassava dish) has been included in the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List; national masks and costumes, textiles, and music brands are legally protected and included in the register of national culture.

There is a government support system for patents for craft, gastronomy, and artistic creation. Cassava (attike), yams, bananas, rice, fish, spicy gravy, alloco dish (fried bananas), goat kebabs, soups, cocoa and palm dishes.

The food varies by region (wolof, senufo, baule), the abundance of fruits, spices, Creole cooking approaches. MinCul and UNESCO estimate that more than 80% of adults participate in traditional holidays, festivals, harvest festivals, and family ceremonies; almost all communities hold seasonal traditional rituals and national cultural weeks.

Data completeness assessment: basic indicators are available in UNESCO and national statistics, coverage is 92%.

Cognitive sovereignty — 46.1

In 2023, Ivory Coast's HDI is 0.582 (ranked 157th in the world — “average level of development"). In 2023— 3.4% of GDP. Government spending on education accounts for about 16-18% of all public budget expenditures.

In 2024-50% according to Knoema/UNESCO, that is, half of the adult population can read and write; male literacy is 60%, female literacy is 40%, and youth literacy is about 66%. Côte d'Ivoire does not participate in PISA and similar tests, data on international comparative studies has not been published; internal assessments and independent monitoring reveal poor results of schoolchildren in reading and mathematics.

The share of university graduates in STEM fields is 19-23% (according to UNESCO and MinEdu estimates, 2022-2024). 3-6% of students participate in international educational programs and scholarships (CEDEAO, France, Francophonie, Morocco, India); there is a well-developed system of French-language exchanges and separate English-language programs.

More than 60 languages in education and culture are French, the official ones are Baule, Dioula, Gouraud, Bethe, etc.; there are radio programs, subsidies, support for schools with teaching in their native languages, and a system of state financing of traditions and rituals.

Major research centers: Institut National Polytechnique Felix Houphouët-Boigny, University of Abidjan, National Center for Basic Research (CNFIR), specialized laboratories based on universities; 4-6 centers conduct research in natural and applied sciences.

Internal platforms (MinEdu, universities) cover up to 18% of students (2024); the rest use commercial (Orange, Coursera, foreign French-speaking), offline programs are still leading.

The government and donors support 800-1, 200 people a year with scholarships, grants, and targeted professional development programs for IT, STEM, and teaching staff; the Ministry of Education annually organizes summer Olympiads and competitions for schoolchildren and teachers. The data is verified by the UNDP, the World Bank, UNESCO, MinEdu and the relevant government reports for the period 2023-2025.

Data completeness assessment: education indicators are available in the UNDP, UNESCO, OECD, coverage is 88%.

Military sovereignty — 36.8

The military budget in 2024 is $658.4 million (according to SIPRI, TradingEconomics), which is approximately 1.7% of GDP (an increase from 1.3% in 2023-2024). In 2025, the Armed Forces (Forces Armées de Côte d'Ivoire, FACI) will have 25,000 troops, the reserve 5,000, and the paramilitary forces (gendarmerie, police) another 7,000; of these, the army 20,000, navy 2,000, and Air Force 3,000.

It is armed with light tanks (30+), armored vehicles (100+), artillery (50+), 5 combat aircraft (old generation MiG-21), Mi-24 helicopters and transports; patrol ships (10+) for the fleet. There are no advanced weapons and missile defense systems, the equipment is mainly of Soviet, Chinese, and French origin, and recent purchases focus on modernization.

There is practically no own military industry and defense products, the country depends on the weapons of France, Russia, China, Ukraine, and the OSCE; there are local repair companies, but only for routine maintenance.

The internal troops, army and navy control the land (3110 km) and sea (515 km) borders, the focus is on the north (fighting extremists), there is a patrol along the entire coastline. Mobile units and joint operations with France and ECOWAS are involved. The reserve is about 5,000 people, the mobilization is up to 40,000 (deployment within 1-2 months), the draft is irregular, most of the defense is carried by personnel units.

Formally, the country is sovereign, but strategic issues (especially the fight against terrorism, rearmament, and exercises) are being implemented in coordination with France, the United States, and ECOWAS; foreign military bases are the French CCFFA base in Abidjan. It is practically absent — there are only repair shops, assembly units, logistics of the military-industrial complex is limited.

All complex types of weapons and technologies are imported. It does not possess, it has no program; it is a signatory to the NPT, and there are absolutely no missiles, materials, or strategic reserves.

There are no space, satellite and cyber intelligence components, the national intelligence service is based on the Directorate of External Security (DGSE), military intelligence; assistance from France and ECOWAS in satellite and electronic information is used.

All parameters are reflected in the annual reports of SIPRI, UNODA, the Ministry of Defense, the official portals of state-owned companies (Embraer, IMBEL) and industry databases of UN/NGO – 90% coverage

Final Summary Table

The main conclusions

Strengths. Economic growth and leadership in the region: One of the fastest growing economies in Africa (GDP growth forecast is 6.1-6.2% in 2024-2025). The world's largest exporter of cocoa beans, palm oil, coffee, fish, rubber, a well-developed agro-industry and its own oil and gas production.

Raw materials and energy base: Proven reserves of oil, gas (gas generation covers up to 80% of domestic electricity consumption), gold, nickel, iron, diamonds; the country is energy-self-sufficient in electricity and even exports it to neighboring countries.

Distinct cultural and ethnic identity: 5 UNESCO sites, 60+ recognized ethnic groups, developed oral literature and folklore, national awards and recognized brands, strong support for cultural diversity. Infrastructure, transport and digital leadership: Flagship ports and highways in West Africa, advanced mobile and Internet services (88% mobile Internet coverage).

National digital platforms are being implemented in key sectors (public services, fintech). Demographic and human resources: A young population (over 26 million), a large army (25,000 people), regular preparatory and educational programs, participation in regional international innovative and cultural projects.

Weaknesses. Uneven development and structural vulnerabilities: High levels of poverty outside capitals and large cities (up to 51% in rural areas). Basic literacy of the adult population is 50%; youth — 66%; low enrollment in higher education (11-12%). Local ethno-religious tensions and instability in the electoral years.

Dependence on external financing and technology: Sovereign reserves are accumulated through the regional BCEAO, decisions on currency and credit policy are made supranationally; there is no own emission base and technological independence in high-tech, microelectronics. Import dependence on high-tech products is almost absolute; domestic developments cover less than 4% of the market.

Limited digitalization and educational infrastructure: EGDI — 0.499 (ranked 126th in the world), digitalization of public services in cities is incomplete, Internet coverage — 38.4% (2024). Military-industrial and intelligence independence: the military-industrial complex, military space and own intelligence systems are virtually absent; the armed forces depend on supplies, repairs and training from France, Russia, China.

External control over strategic decisions (export, security, rearmament) is maintained through Franco-Western and regional partnerships. Environmental and climate threats: Food security depends on the import of strategic crops (rice, wheat); cocoa and other crops are vulnerable to weather and climate risks.

Overall assessment. The cumulative sovereignty index of Côte d'Ivoire is 320.8 out of 700 points (average – 45.8%), which places the country in the top 150 in the world top. Côte d'Ivoire is the political, economic and cultural flagship of West Africa, with a fast-growing economy, energy self-sufficiency, developed infrastructure and a unique ethno-cultural capital.

The country remains vulnerable to socio-economic shocks (poverty, education), global price and climate shocks, is dependent on regional institutions and imported technologies, and faces challenges to decentralization, transparency, and modernization of public administration.

The prospect for further strengthening sovereignty is to accelerate automation, expand the educational and innovation base, deepen integration, and increase internal resilience against external risks.

The sovereignty profile indicates that the sovereignty of Côte d'Ivoire is based on significant economic, resource, demographic and cultural assets, a developed internal infrastructure, a vibrant ethnic identity, but is limited by institutional centralization, monetary, technological and military dependence on external players and regional alliances.

Sovereignty is high in economics, culture, infrastructure, civil self-government, and intelligence of moderate complexity; however, it is weakest in science, defense, digital, monetary, and technological autonomy.

The main challenges are uneven development, import dependence in the high-tech and financial sectors, exogenous shocks, and a shortage of educational and innovation resources.