Côte d’Ivoire Delegation Visits Aberdeen to Boost UK–West Africa Trade

Aberdeen welcomed a high‑level delegation from Côte d’Ivoire for a series of high-impact meetings and site visits aimed at strengthening economic ties across energy, education & skills training and maritime innovation.

The visit featured guided tours of Aberdeen’s key facilities, one-on-one business matchmaking sessions, and a roundtable lunch attended by senior figures from both Scotland and Côte d’Ivoire.

On the first day our delegation held back-to-back 1:1 meetings with Scottish businesses, eager to explore opportunities in the energy and education & skills training sectors. There was a queue out the door to speak with them — a real testament to the interest and potential between our regions.

Later, they took to the stage at the Energy Exports Conference, where their insights on investment, collaboration and Côte d'Ivoire’s future energy ambitions were incredibly well received. We were especially honoured to be joined by Her Excellency SARA AMANI, Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire to the UK, whose presence elevated the entire day.

On the second da, a huge thanks must go to Fugro for hosting one of the insightful roundtables, where we explored opportunities and challenges in Côte d’Ivoire’s growing energy sector, with a strong focus on oil & gas and solar.

We were delighted to be joined by a number of our members, who brought fantastic questions and perspectives to the table. There’s clearly significant potential for Scottish businesses—particularly in oil & gas, renewables, offshore services and innovation—to play a role in Côte d’Ivoire’s future energy landscape.

But it wasn’t all opportunity without realism. We had open discussions around the importance of understanding local content laws and regulatory environments — key factors for long-term, sustainable partnerships.

To end on a lighter note, the team at Fugro gave our guests a proper Scottish treat: their first taste of Irn Bru, Tunnocks Teacakes and Aberdeen’s own rowies. A cultural exchange at its finest — and we’re pleased to report they were a hit.

The roundtable was followed by the chance to enjoy some well-earned downtime over lunch at the fabulous Amuse. A huge thank you to James Bream and Frazer Kerr from Katoni Engineering for hosting the event. It was a brilliant opportunity for our guests to unwind a little, soak up some warm Aberdeen hospitality and experience a taste of Scotland.

Our final stop was to RelyOn Nutec where Tom conducted the entire visit in French, much to the delight of our guests.

We had a tour of their world-class facilities, witnessing everything from interactive training modules to the helicopter underwater escape training as well as fire safety drills, life vessel training and more.

We then moved into a lively roundtable discussion, bringing together universities, colleges and private sector training organisations from across Scotland to explore the importance of education and skills, particularly in Côte d’Ivoire’s growing energy sector. There’s huge potential for Scotland to share expertise and collaborate in building the workforce of the future.

Commenting on the delegation’s visit, Chief Executive Frazer Lang said: “We’re honoured to host our colleagues from Côte d’Ivoire in Aberdeen and explore real synergies between our regions. Scottish innovation in oil & gas, renewable energy and education & skills training aligns closely with Côte d’Ivoire’s economic ambitions. Together, we can build sustainable partnerships that benefit businesses, communities and the climate.”