The Cotton, Cashew and Shea Council, the Investment Promotion Center in Ivory Coast (CEPICI) and the Indian group ESSAR FUTURE ENERGIE LTD signed, on Friday, September 11, 2026 in Abidjan, a Memorandum of Collaboration for the installation in Ivory Coast of a Cardanol production unit from cashew nut liquid (CNSL), extracted from cashew shells. This partnership opens a new perspective in the development and promotion strategy of the Ivorian cashew sector. It notably includes the establishment of an industrial unit that could become the world's largest for the production of Cardanol from cashew shells. Under the terms of the partnership, ESSAR FUTURE ENERGIE LTD plans to invest over US$75 million in Côte d'Ivoire. This investment is expected to facilitate the purchase of cashew shells, the extraction of CNSL (Cashew Nut Extraction System), and the production and export of products derived from this raw material. The various partners believe that this project will help strengthen Ivory Coast's position in the global cashew industry, while creating new economic interest in the shells from the processing of raw nuts. Adding value to this material could also have an impact on the profitability of processing units and, in the long term, contribute to improving the incomes of cashew producers. During the signing ceremony, the Director General of the Cotton Cashew Shea Council, Mamadou Berté, the Director General of CEPICI, Solange Amichia, and the representative of ESSAR FUTURE ENERGIE LTD, Hrushikesh Paranjape, emphasized the importance of this project, particularly with regard to the environmental challenges related to the management of shells generated by the processing of raw cashew nuts. They noted that transforming shells into value-added products presents an opportunity to reduce the constraints associated with their management, while developing new industrial outlets for the sector. The partners also commended the role played by the Ambassador of Côte d'Ivoire to India, Eric Camille N'Dri, in bringing this initiative to fruition. In June 2026, the diplomat accompanied Vibahv Agarwa, CEO of ESSAR FUTURE ENERGIE LTD, on an exploratory mission to Côte d'Ivoire dedicated to examining investment opportunities in the cashew sector. The various parties have committed to continuing their collaboration in order to promote the success of this industrial project. This initiative comes two weeks after the signing, in China, of agreements relating in particular to the development of the textile industry and the valorization of the cashew kernel, under the impetus of the Ambassador of Ivory Coast to China, Abou Dosso. These various steps are part of the economic diplomacy strategy led by the President of the Republic, Alassane Ouattara, aimed at attracting more foreign investment and strengthening the local processing of Ivorian raw materials.