On 14 October 2026, Lieutenant Srawut Preedidilok, Ambassador attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and serving at the Department of International Cooperation, welcomed and held discussions with Mr. Papa Demba Diop, Director of Institutional Relations, and Ms. Corell Kpomalegni, Manager of Institutional Relations, of the West African Development Bank (BOAD) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Representatives of the Department of South Asian, Middle Eastern and African Affairs, as well as Thai private-sector representatives in the fields of agriculture and agricultural machinery, also attended the meeting.

The discussions focused on exploring opportunities for development cooperation in all eight BOAD member states, particularly in the areas of agriculture and food security, human resource development, energy, and public health. The Thai side presented cooperation opportunities under the Thailand–Africa Initiative (TAI), including collaboration with the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) in Côte d’Ivoire. This cooperation aims to develop rice cultivation technologies and promote the use of small-scale agricultural machinery suited to local conditions and the needs of African farmers.

The BOAD representatives expressed interest in Thailand’s small-scale agricultural machinery technologies. Both sides agreed on the potential to link Thailand’s expertise with BOAD’s development support mechanisms through knowledge transfer, capacity building, and the promotion of private-sector engagement. These efforts would contribute to expanding cooperation that responds to the needs of partner countries and supports sustainable development in West Africa.