Mining & Production: Montage Gold says its Koné mine in Côte d’Ivoire has poured first gold ahead of schedule, with ramp-up supported by ports, roads and power, and initial output targeted at about 350,000 ounces/year. Security & Enforcement: Abidjan has delivered drones, motorcycles and watercraft to crack down on illegal gold mining, with a wider order and a six-month push across 11 regions. Finance & Payments: BCEAO has authorized 175 institutions to offer interoperable instant payments (PI-SPI), with Ivory Coast leading among member states for fintech and mobile money participation. Housing & Construction: Côte d’Ivoire estimates urban housing needs at 827,753 units by 2030 and has launched 420 social/economic units in Yamoussoukro under a 25,000-unit emergency program. STEM & Workforce Pipeline: A report flags a steep drop in science uptake in West Africa, with Ivory Coast’s elite maths-and-physics track at just 0.6% in 2022—raising long-term engineering and industrial skills concerns. Regional Trade & Industry: Africa’s push for cheaper, more direct cross-border flights via free-route airspace could cut costs for logistics and business travel. Energy & Infrastructure: AIIB targets near-doubling infrastructure financing to about €17.6bn by 2030, prioritizing climate resilience, renewables, digital and regional connectivity.