Climate Risk: A new World Weather Attribution study says extreme West Africa rainfall is now about five times more likely than in the late 1800s, with flooding deaths reported across Ivory Coast, Ghana and Togo—an urgent call for Gulf of Guinea cities to adapt. Disaster Finance in Abidjan: African Risk Capacity appoints David Maslo as CEO, aiming to scale parametric insurance and sovereign flood coverage, with ARC’s relocation and growth already underway in Côte d’Ivoire. Cocoa Value Chain: EU backs “Coco-AI” with €5.5M to help develop cell-based cocoa ingredients, while cocoa markets stay sensitive to supply shocks and abundant West African output. Côte d’Ivoire Connectivity: CSquared adds capacity to the 2Africa West cable to improve route diversity and resilience after recent subsea disruptions affecting the Abidjan corridor. Mining & Investment: Predictive Discovery invests about $10m for a stake in Awalé Resources, targeting large-scale gold in north-west Côte d’Ivoire at the Odienné project. Digital Economy Policy: UEMOA launches a West African forum on AI, fintech and inclusive finance, with Côte d’Ivoire among countries shaping a regional AI strategy. Energy & Shipping: Murphy and Chariot seek offshore exploration blocks in Mauritania, as shipping security risks keep reshaping maritime trade routes.