ID4Africa 2026 AGM will take place in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire

Cote d’Ivoire’s commercial capital, Abidjan, will be the venue of the 2026 edition of ID4Africa’s Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The host of next year’s event scheduled to take place from May 12-15 was revealed at the close of Day 2 proceedings of the current AGM ongoing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Dozens of delegation members from the west African country jumped for joy when ID4Africa Executive Chairman, Dr Joseph Atick, made the announcement, sparking rapturous applause inside the auditorium.

A mini video was projected highlighting the country’s massive tourist potential and infrastructural attractiveness, making the upcoming AGM one of the most curious yet in the history of the continent’s biggest identity event.

The government of Cote d’Ivoire and the country’s national agency for civil registration and identity management (ONECI) will collaborate in hosting the meeting.

Earlier, Dr Atick had reminded the audience of the criteria which ID4Africa considers in selecting a host country, citing strong political will and commitment to the ideals of legal and digital identity and infrastructural readiness and capacity, among other factors. He also underscored the symbolism in hosting the event.

“The power of this movement has been clear; you can see it. It comes, as we said, from Africa, for Africa, and in Africa. The energy and the power come from the fact that we are deeply grounded and rooted in Africa,” Atick remarked.

“This is why hosting the AGM becomes, essentially, a symbol. It has become a symbol of empowerment for African countries. It’s a symbol because it gives the host country the opportunity to showcase its hospitality and share its content with the world.”

Speaking for the government of Cote d’Ivoire, the country’s deputy permanent representative to the African Union, Amb. Dibi Bongro Zephirin, expressed gratitude to ID4Africa for the momentous opportunity presented to the country to host the rest of Africa.

“Côte d’Ivoire has just been selected to host the next Annual General Meeting of ID4Africa. It is with great enthusiasm that we accept this honor bestowed upon our country,” Dibi said.

“On behalf of His Excellency Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, on behalf of the government, and the people of Côte d’Ivoire, I would like to express our deep gratitude to all the members of ID4Africa for choosing our country,” he added.

He assured that his country “will do everything possible to make the 2026 Annual General Meeting a wonderful event, worthy of the ambitions of this movement.”

Members of the delegation of Cote d’Ivoire were then ushered unto the stage to celebrate the hosting right.

Atick disclosed that the newly constructed “Parcs des Expositions” in Abidjan will be the solutions exhibition arena, located just adjacent the main event venue.

Cote d’Ivoire will be the second West African nation to host ID4Africa after Nigeria in 2018.

Article Topics

Africa  |  Côte d’Ivoire  |  ID4Africa  |  ID4Africa 2025  |  ID4Africa 2026  |  Identification for Development (ID4D)  |  ONECI