Cote d’Ivoire’s Public Institutions Sign Deal with French Airline Corsair for Discounted Paris Flights and Preferential Healthcare, Despite Citizens Struggling with Poor Health Services

Five top Ivorian public institutions have signed a fresh partnership with French airline Corsair, granting government officials and their families discounted flights to Paris and privileged access to medical care at the American Hospital of Paris.

The deal was formalised on Thursday, 15 May 2025, by the National Assembly, the Senate, the Economic, Social, Environmental and Cultural Council (CESEC), the Assembly of Regions and Districts of Côte d’Ivoire (ARDCI), and the Union of Cities and Municipalities of Côte d’Ivoire (UVICOCI).

The agreement allows civil servants from the five bodies to travel between Abidjan and Paris at preferential rates for private and official purposes. They will also benefit from streamlined access to healthcare services at one of France’s most expensive private hospitals.

Senate President Kandia Camara, who presided over the signing ceremony, said the initiative aims to improve travel and healthcare options for public officials.

The agreement we have just signed concerns the reduction of airline ticket costs on Corsair lines, both for business and private travel. In addition to allowing Ivorian officials and their families to travel at a lower cost, we are pleased to benefit from the services of the American Hospital on preferential terms,” she stated.

The move has evoked widespread criticism from civil society groups and political commentators, who accuse the government of neglecting Côte d’Ivoire’s struggling health sector. With the cost of living rising and complaints increasing over the state of public hospitals, many view the agreement as a display of inequality and poor governance.

Observers have also questioned the exclusion of Air Côte d’Ivoire, the national carrier. In May 2024, the airline announced plans to launch direct flights between Abidjan and Paris by the end of 2025, as part of efforts to showcase Ivorian expertise in international aviation and establish Félix Houphouët-Boigny Airport as a significant hub in the region. Over 250 billion CFA francs have reportedly been invested in the sector since 2012.

Therefore, the new partnership mocks calls to prioritise local systems in aviation and healthcare. West African political analyst and commentator Marcus Herve Traoré described the deal as “shameful” and a reflection of the ruling elite’s detachment from the everyday struggles of Ivorians.

Instead of building hospitals and to invest into education and schools, government officials are signing partnerships with a French company to fly them and their families to Paris.

This is what they call a democracy. The so called elites are squandering public funds. As for the masses, they can die on floors of hospitals that don’t even have beds. Welcome to democracy!”, he wrote in an X post.

Opposition figures have echoed similar sentiments and called the deal an admission of failure by President Ouattara’s administration. However, the presidency has remained adamant on the matter.

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