Cocoa Sector Shock (Ghana): COCOBOD says Ghana’s cocoa output could drop by at least 16% in the 2026–2027 season, blaming El Niño-linked erratic weather, swollen shoot disease, the tree’s natural low-yield cycle, ageing farms, and rising illegal gold mining that takes over cocoa plots. Cocoa Supply Outlook (Markets): StoneX slashed its global cocoa surplus forecast for 2026/27 by 83% to just 25,000 tonnes, citing El Niño risk and below-normal pod counts across West Africa—pushing expectations of tighter supply even as chocolate demand stays mixed. Mineral Value-Add Debate (Regional): SADC Industrialisation Week in Durban put the spotlight on stopping raw mineral exports and scaling beneficiation and advanced manufacturing—echoing similar calls from an AfDB forum in Abidjan. Oil & Gas Investment Push (Ghana): Ghana announced upstream petroleum reforms to improve investor confidence, including a review of fiscal and regulatory rules and faster decision-making to reduce bureaucratic delays. Offshore Work (Ivory Coast): Saipem says it’s doubling down on deepwater drilling, with a long-term Eni campaign offshore Côte d’Ivoire (Santorini) worth $260m and further Baleine Phase 3 subsea work. Logistics & Air Cargo (Africa): TAAG launched inaugural freighter routes Luanda–Lusaka and Amsterdam–Lusaka, aiming to strengthen a North–South airfreight corridor into Southern Africa. Space for Food Security (Abidjan): A space solutions discussion in Abidjan highlighted how satellite data can support agriculture planning, disaster management and climate resilience.