Cocoa Supply Shock: Ghana’s COCOBOD forecasts a 16% drop in the 2026/27 cocoa harvest, blaming El Niño-linked weather swings, swollen shoot disease, ageing farms and illegal gold mining—pressuring global prices even as Ivory Coast shipments rise. Cocoa Price Volatility: Cocoa futures jumped on supply disruption fears, while brokers like StoneX cut the global surplus outlook sharply, keeping chocolate-cost pressure alive for West Africa’s processors. Ivory Coast–Ghana Cocoa Alliance: Presidents Ouattara and Mahama signed a joint declaration in Abidjan to deepen cooperation and push more local processing, framing cocoa as economic sovereignty and shared prosperity. Gold Expansion in Côte d’Ivoire: Fortuna Mining plans a Séguéla plant capacity boost to lift recovery and target ~200,000 oz/year for the next decade, adding the Sunbird underground mine to feed the upgraded processing. Industrial Trade Push: EQUIP AUTO Côte d’Ivoire is set for 26–28 Nov 2026 in Abidjan, aiming to pull 10,000+ mobility and industrial players into exhibitions, workshops and B2B meetings. Logistics Connectivity: TAAG launched new cargo routes linking Abidjan and other West African markets into a North–South airfreight corridor, with Lusaka services starting weekly. Climate Resilience: Mangrove restoration efforts in Ghana’s Ada West (with Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana resilience links) begin with 38 hectares targeted for replanting to protect coastlines and livelihoods.