[2] The Soviet Union had begun to import cocoa beans from Côte d'Ivoire in 1959, but this trade was discontinued in 1961.

Guinea was accused of fomenting opposition inside Côte d'Ivoire, and there were suspicions that the Soviet Union had given its support to these activities.

[6] A mutual agreement to establish diplomatic relations between Côte d'Ivoire and the Soviet Union was announced on January 23, 1967.

[2] In November the same year the first Soviet ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire, Sergey Petrov, was appointed.

On one hand Houphouët-Boigny had begun to embrace a more active foreign policy, including a more pragmatic attitude towards the Soviet Union.