Information Bulletin

68 Pages·2015·2.06 MB·English

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

50th AfDB ANNUAL MEETINGS
41st ADF ANNUAL MEETINGS
BOARDS OF GOVERNORS
INFORMATION BULLETIN

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CONTENTS

Introduction 1
a. Reception at Abidjan Airport 1
b. Hotel Accommodation in Abidjan 1
c. Venue of the Annual Meetings 3

The Republic of Côte d’Ivoire 4
a. Geographical Features 4
b. Climate 4
c. Currency and Exchange Rates 4
d. Telecommunications 5
e. Voltage 5

Abidjan 5
a. The City 5
b. Historical Monuments 6
c. Weather during the Annual Meetings (May 2015) 7

Practical Information 7
Before Arrival in Abidjan 7
A. Visas 7
a. General Visa Information 7
b. Length of Stay 7
c. Côte d’Ivoire Entry Requirements for Foreign
Nationals Whose Countries are Exempt from the Visa
Requirements (See list attached) 8
d. Ivorian Diplomatic Representations Abroad
(See list attached) 8
B. Vaccinations 8
C. Air Transport 8
D. Customs Formalities 9

Stay in Abidjan 9
a. List of Hotels 10
b. Health Services 10
c. Car Rental Services 11
d. Commercial Banks 11
e. Restaurants 13
f. Shopping Centres 14

ANNEXES 15
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Introduction
The 2015 Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the African Development Bank
Group (African Development Bank and African Development Fund) will be held in Abidjan,
Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, at the Congress Hall of Sofitel Hôtel Ivoire, from 25 to 29 May 2015.
The event is expected to bring together about 4,000 participants, including delegates of AfDB
Member States from Africa, America, Europe and Asia (Ministers of Economy and Finance,
Central Bank Governors) as well as representatives of several regional and international
financial organizations.
These Meetings will discuss several themes of common interest to the African continent that
are in line with AfDB strategic orientations for the coming years. The Meetings this year are of
particular significance as they mark the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Bank.
The Annual Meetings also coincide with a number of international events seeking to find
innovative solutions for the development of Africa, other developing regions and the world in
general. The events will cover issues related to development finance, climate change and the
setting new goals for sustainable development.
a. Reception at the Félix Houphouët Boigny International Airport of Abidjan and
Transportation to the City
An Information and Protocol Desk will be set up at the Félix Houphouët Boigny International
Airport of Abidjan to expedite entry and departure formalities for participants. Upon arrival,
Heads of Delegations will be received by the Protocol Services at the Abidjan Airport VIP
Lounges. A car with a driver and a liaison officer will be provided for each Governor.
Shuttle buses will transport participants from the airport to their hotels and from their hotels to
the Congress Centre of Sofitel Hôtel Ivoire, where the Annual Meetings will be held.
b. Hotel Accommodation in Abidjan
Abidjan, the economic capital of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, is a metropolitan city of more
than five (5) million inhabitants. A hub in West Africa and also known as Small Manhattan,
Abidjan has many places that are suitable for meetings, conferences and various high-level
seminars. The Republic of Côte d’Ivoire is a major tourist and business destination.
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Abidjan has several hotels and residence-hotels of all categories (see list attached).
The Vice-Presidency-General Secretariat of the Bank will make room reservations for
Governors, Alternate Governors and special guests at Sofitel Hôtel Ivoire.
For all other participants and observers at the Annual Meetings who will be responsible for their
own accommodation, the Ivorian authorities have negotiated reduced rates for the period with
the owners of hotels and residence-hotels. The list of these hotels and resorts managed by the
National Organizing Committee (NOC) for the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and their rates are
available on the portal of the 2015 Annual Meetings. Reservations must therefore be made
through this platform provided by the NOC on the AfDB website. The list of hotels and
residences can be accessed through the following link: www.booking-abidjan.com

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c. Venue of the Annual Meetings

The Sofitel Hôtel Ivoire Complex is located in Cocody-Blockhaus. It will be the main Activity
Centre for the 2015 Annual Meetings. With its large Congress Centre with 1,500 seats, the
Tower, the main building and a few luxury tents, the Conference Centre offers participants a
luxurious setting for a pleasant meeting venue.

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Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
a. Geographical Features of the Country

Located in the western part of the African continent and in the tropics, Côte d’Ivoire covers an
area of 322,462 km². It is bounded to the south by the Atlantic Ocean, to the east by Ghana, to
the north by Burkina Faso and Mali, and to the west by Guinea and Liberia. Yamoussoukro has
been the political capital of the country since 1983 and Abidjan is the economic capital. In
addition to Abidjan and Yamoussoukro, the other major cities are Bouaké, the second largest
city in the country; San Pedro, which has the second largest port in the country; Daloa, Korhogo,
Man and Abengourou.
The official language is French. The languages spoken in the country are Baoulé, Malinké-
Dioula, Sénoufo, Dan, Agni, Bété, Attié, Guéré, etc...
With an annual growth rate of 3.3%, the total population was estimated at 22,670,000
inhabitants in 2013, with at least 3 million immigrant workers living in the country with their
families, mainly from other countries of the sub-region.
b. Climatic Conditions
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Côte d’Ivoire is divided into four (4) agro-climatic zones:
1. The tropical transition zone with a single rainy season from April to October and
rainfall of 950 to 1,700 mm/year;
2. The equatorial transition zone 1 with two rainy seasons from March to June and
September to October, with a total rainfall of 950 to 1,600 mm/year;
3. The equatorial transition zone 2 also has two rainy seasons from April to July
(heavy rainfall) and from September to November (irregular rainfall), with
rainfall of 1,300 to 2,400 mm/year;
4. The mountainous zone with one long rainy season from March to October, and
rainfall of 1,500-2,200 mm/year.
A country with tiered rows of plateaus, steep terraces sometimes forming ledges, Côte d'Ivoire
is essentially flat. On this tabular set of ironstone, smooth ruptures are caused by garlands of
hills.
c. Currency and Exchange
The currency in Abidjan is the CFA franc, the common currency for member countries of the
West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA). It can be exchanged for other foreign
currencies at commercial banks, foreign exchange bureaux and hotels. The CFA franc is pegged
to the Euro at a fixed exchange rate of €1 = CFAF 655.957.
Convertible currencies can be exchanged freely in banks, foreign exchange bureaux and major
hotels.

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d. Telecommunications
National, international and Internet communication services are available at reasonable costs in
all hotels in Abidjan.
Communication in available in Côte d’Ivoire through earth telecommunication lines, submarine
systems and fiber optics. Five mobile phone network operators use the international GSM
system (Orange, MTN, MOOV, GREEN, and KOOZ). One can opt for a subscription contract
or for prepaid cards. Prepaid cards are sold by authorized distributors, and are also available in
shopping centres.
e. Voltage
The power voltage in Côte d’Ivoire is 220 Volts.
Abidjan
a. The City
Abidjan, the most populous city in French-speaking West Africa, is the economic capital of
Côte d’Ivoire, and Yamoussoukro is the administrative and political capital. According to the
country’s authorities, Abidjan had a population of 4,707,000 inhabitants in 2014, representing
20% of the total population of the country. Only Lagos, the former capital of Nigeria, has a
higher population in the region. Regarded as the West African cultural hub, Abidjan is
constantly growing and is characterized by high industrialization and urbanization. The city is
divided into two parts, which are further subdivided into municipalities, each with its own
characteristics: the modern districts, which are more of the European type, are Plateau and
Cocody, with posh villas and large gardens, while others like Marcory and Treichville, tend to
reproduce the African-village settings. Around Ebrié lagoon, one can also find houses on stilts.
Abidjan also has the largest port in West Africa.
For the traveler, Abidjan offers many amenities: hotels, sports complexes, nightlife, beaches,
etc.
One can also visit the Banco Park at the entrance to the city, which is a remnant of the forest
that once surrounded the lagoon, with its central lake, coffee and cocoa plantations, and the
small river that is used for washing clothes. There are also a few notable landmarks: the
mosques of Cocody and Treichville, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the City Museum, the Ki Yi M’Bock
Village, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Museum, and the Abidjan centre for
handicrafts, or Centre artisanal de la ville d’Abidjan (CAVA), located in the Treichville
municipality. Many music festivals are also organized regularly in the city.
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b. Tourist Sites and Historical Monuments
Seaside Tourism
Côte d'Ivoire has 520 km of coastline on the Atlantic Ocean: fine sandy beaches, coconut
trees, creeks, cliffs, lagoons for swimming, surfing, angling, water sports, and sailing. Grand-
Bassam, Assinie and Sassandra are the main seaside tourist destinations. In addition, there are
cities such as San Pedro, which boasts the sumptuous Monogaga Beach, and Grand Béréby,
which owes its popularity to its gorgeous Baie des sirènes (Mermaid Bay) beach.
Ecotourism
The country has many national parks and nearly 300 nature reserves that offer a wide variety
of wildlife and landscapes from the North to the South. Since 1996, the Ivorian Government
has been supervising a project to protect wildlife areas in Côte d’Ivoire. In addition to these,
Ivorian villages also offer beautiful sites and attractions. However, their sacred nature makes
their development and access to the general public very delicate.
Traditional and Religious Tourism
Traditional tourism that can easily be supplemented with cultural tourism: The Ivorian
population is a mosaic of over sixty ethnic groups representing as many beliefs, languages,
traditions and crafts. In Yamoussoukro, there is the Our Lady of Peace Basilica, whose dome
is larger than that of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The north of the country, with a Muslim
majority, also has many ancient mosques.
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c. Weather Conditions during the Annual
Meetings (May 2015)

In May, the average temperature is generally
25°C minimum and 32°C maximum, with six (6)
hours of sunlight per day. Approximately 16
days of rainfall are expected during the month.

Practical Information
Before Travel
A. VISAS

a. General Visa Information

Entry into Côte d’Ivoire is subject to a visa, except for nationals of ECOWAS member
countries, and countries that have signed special agreements with Côte d'Ivoire. Furthermore, a
valid passport is required for entry into Côte d’Ivoire. A national identity card is sufficient for
ECOWAS nationals. The validity of passports must be for at least six months from the date of
entry into Côte d'Ivoire.
As a hospitality measure for all participants in the 2015 Annual Meetings, the Government of
Côte d'Ivoire intends to facilitate the granting of visas to the various participants and any
persons accompanying them.
Exceptionally, for the purposes of the Annual Meetings of the AfDB Group, entry visas will be
issued to participants upon arrival at the Felix Houphouet Boigny (FHB) International Airport.
Nationals of some AfDB member countries wishing to have an entry visa into Côte d’Ivoire
before arriving in Abidjan are requested to contact Ivorian diplomatic missions with the
following documents:
 a passport with a validity of at least 6 months;
 a completed application form;
 a recent photograph (45mm x 35mm);
 justification for the travel (invitation letter);
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