On May 8, the government of New Brunswick officially unveiled its strategy for developing partnerships in Francophone Africa, marking a notable step in the province’s effort to grow its international economic footprint and reduce its dependence on traditional trade partners.

The strategy aims to expand New Brunswick’s global presence by engaging in soft diplomacy and fostering economic cooperation with six Francophone African countries: Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Cameroon, Senegal and Tunisia, some of which already have bilateral agreements with the province.