• Côte d’Ivoire ratifies tax agreement with Qatar to avoid double taxation
• Deal strengthens trade ties and improves tax transparency, cooperation
• Move aims to attract investment and boost bilateral economic relations

Côte d'Ivoire ratified a bilateral tax agreement with Qatar on Wednesday during a Cabinet meeting.

The deal aims to prevent double taxation and curb tax evasion on income. It comes more than three years after it was signed in Doha on Dec. 7, 2022, marking another step toward stronger economic ties between the two countries.

The agreement “will further improve conditions for trade between the two countries and help both sides tap Qatar’s strong investment potential,” government spokesman Amadou Coulibaly said.

It sets out a legal framework to prevent companies and individuals operating in both countries from being taxed twice on the same income. It also provides for cooperation between tax authorities, including information sharing, to improve transparency and limit tax evasion.

The ratification is part of a broader strategy by Abidjan to boost its investment appeal. By expanding its network of tax treaties, the country aims to attract foreign investment and ease trade, amid growing competition among African economies for international capital.

Trade between Qatar and Côte d'Ivoire reached 94 million Qatari riyals ($25.8 million) in 2023 and 71 million riyals as of November 2024, according to Qatari government data, suggesting room for growth in bilateral trade.

Carelle Yourann