Cotecna is proud to host the CIV Delegation Visit in Durban

Cotecna South Africa had the distinct honour of welcoming a high-level delegation from Côte d’Ivoire, for a strategic one-week operational audit mission held from May 26 to May 30, 2025. The successful visit reaffirmed Cotecna’s dedication to transparency, operational excellence, and fostering global partnerships that drive trade facilitation and regulatory compliance.

The visiting delegation comprised Mr. Tilafolo Coulibaly from Cotecna Côte d’Ivoire, alongside Dr. Beugré Jonathan N’Guessan and Ms. Annick Cecilia Mireille Diallo representatives of Ivorian government, who were graciously received by Nita Pieterse, Acting Country Manager for Cotecna South Africa, and Cedric Serre, Regional Manager for Cotecna Southern Africa. The Durban-based Cotecna team provided warm hospitality and robust technical engagement throughout the week.

Cotecna is authorised by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and SME Promotion to issue a Certificate of Conformity for exports of regulated products to Côte d'Ivoire. Over the course of the mission, the CIV delegation participated in an extensive program that included tailored presentations outlining Cotecna’s global network, inspection procedures, and certification services. The sessions served to demonstrate Cotecna’s integrated approach to trade solutions, with a strong focus on compliance, efficiency, and quality assurance.

A highlight of the visit was the opportunity to witness a live physical inspection, offering the delegation first-hand experience of Cotecna’s operational processes in action. This interactive session allowed the guests to engage directly with the technical teams and observe how Cotecna ensures conformity with international standards at the ground level.

The delegation also toured Cotecna’s state-of-the-art Commercial Laboratory in Richards Bay, where they explored the company’s capabilities in minerals and metals testing—a growing area of importance for the region’s industrial and export sectors. The tour provided deeper insight into how Cotecna supports the mining and commodities industries with accurate, timely, and reliable testing services.

The audit component of the visit concluded on a high note, with the CIV team confirming   the professionalism of Cotecna South Africa teams and leadership. The opportunity was great Cotecna South Africa’s teams to demonstrate our exceptional documentation practices, resource optimization, and commitment to measurable, high-impact outcomes.

This visit marks another milestone in the enduring collaboration between Cotecna offices across Africa and reinforces the organization’s broader mission to facilitate safe, efficient, and compliant trade flows across the continent. The engagement underscored the value of cross-border knowledge sharing and mutual learning, driven by Cotecna’s ethos of operational transparency and continuous improvement.

👉To Learn more about the CIV Program exports to Côte d’Ivoire download our free Côte d’Ivoire Exporter guide or contact us  

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About Cotecna

For over 50 years, we have been supporting agriculture, food and pharma, minerals and metals, and consumer products supply chains all over the world. We provide testing, inspection, and certification services to help our clients navigate evolving regulations, ensure product compliance, and support their sustainability journey.