Cote d'Ivoire launches digital customs platform to ease regional trade

Cote d'Ivoire has launched a digital customs platform to streamline cargo movements from the Port of Abidjan to Burkina Faso and Mali, aiming to boost efficiency in regional trade.

Under the initiative, the platform will electronically transmit geo-located cargo information directly from Abidjan to destination offices in the capitals of both the Sahel nations, reinforcing the security and efficiency of trade corridors.

"We no longer need this visa because traceability and transparency are now guaranteed electronically. We have better oversight of transactions between our countries. There was therefore no reason to keep this visa, which, in a way, could create bottlenecks. There are numerous benefits to eliminating this visa; there will be greater fluidity in transport, less road hurdle and much greater transparency, making the management of data much easier," said Amadou Coulibaly, Ivorian Minister of Communication and government spokesperson.

Cote d'Ivoire has historically served as the natural transit route for goods heading to its Sahel neighbors. However, recent regional tensions have pushed landlocked Burkina Faso and Mali toward the port of Lome in Togo for their commodity exchanges.

Ivorian authorities say the new initiative is designed to eliminate barriers, lower costs, and rebuild trust in order to draw partners back to the Abidjan corridor.

Analysts regard the effort as vital for intra-African trade and sub-regional integration, noting that it has drawn broad backing from stakeholders.

"In this project, everyone benefits in several ways. Malian and Burkinabe products will be able to transit through Cote d'Ivoire, generating revenue for the country; this will boost the vitality of the port of Abidjan; and all three countries will also save time, since in the past it took three to four days for the same procedure. There is also a financial benefit for Mali and Burkina Faso, as they used to spend a great deal of money transiting through the port of Lome," historian and Political Analyst Abdoulaye Bamba said.

Cote d'Ivoire launches digital customs platform to ease regional trade

The two-day 2026 Barcelona AI Summit opened Tuesday in Spain, with the emphasis on moving artificial intelligence (AI) from ambitious concepts to practical deployment.

Alongside keynote forums and speeches, this year’s event includes several exhibition halls where visitors can watch AI demos and try interactive experiences.

In one exhibition area, aspiring boxers can test their form with the help of AI-powered coaching. A system uses cameras to capture movement trajectories, analyzing punch speed, body rotation and defensive actions, and identifying weaknesses in training.

"We're looking for visibility and to showcase our technology in real conditions, so anybody from any level can test and see a score and how they train, how can they improve their technique," said Amelys Servais, the exhibitor.

Developers of a robot dog showcased their advancements in this area of robotics that has long touted promise for industrial uses. The artificial canine exhibits improved control through the use of cameras and sensors that can perceive the surrounding environment, analyze human movement, and even understand human language.

"We have a language model we built on top of the robot. We have text-to-speech, so we can speak to a microphone and it responds back to us. As well, we have an auto-explore feature which, through the use of lidar sensors, it can walk around automatically and map its region," said Kacper Poniatowski, engineer of the device.

The summit also showcased AI applications in scenarios including enterprise services and immersive experiences, showing the transformation of the technology toward emerging real-world products.

Barcelona AI Summit highlights real-world applications of AI