Transport
From The Report: Cote d'Ivoire 2015
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In the decades following independence in 1960, Côte d’Ivoire led West Africa in terms of transport infrastructure. Today, although several years of civil unrest have taken their toll, it still has one of the largest road networks in the region, as well as relatively competitive aviation and maritime port infrastructure. As the government pushes to attain emerging country status by 2020, the nation’s transport networks are set for a boost in public funding: out of the CFA11trn (€16.5bn) budgeted in the 2012-15 National Development Plan, the state has allocated 25.5% to projects in transport infrastructure. Côte d’Ivoire’s reinvestment in its long-neglected transport infrastructure comes just in time to keep pace with the demands of a growing population and an expanding economy. Sustaining the funding levels needed to maintain these networks will pose challenges, but strong investment from the private sector and a high level of public-private collaboration bode well for the sector.

This chapter contains interviews with Dominique Lafont, CEO, Bolloré Africa Logistics; and Gervais Koffi Djondo, Chairman, Asky.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Broad-based boost: Upgrades and extensions will push infrastructure into a new phase
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In the decades following independence in 1960, Côte d’Ivoire led West Africa in terms of transport infrastructure. Today, although several years of civil unrest have taken their toll, it still has one of the largest road networks in the region, as well as relatively competitive aviation and maritime port infrastructure. In the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index 2014, which analyses transport data on 160 countries, Côte d’Ivoire scores 2.62 out of 5, above the average for sub-Saharan…

Analysis

Port of call: Expansion at the two main ports should boost transit traffic
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The central location, large infrastructural capacity, and extensive road and rail connections of Côte d’Ivoire make it a natural gateway for trade to and from its landlocked neighbours: Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali. A decade of unrest, however, has weakened the country’s role as a transit gateway to the region and has seen the ports of Dakar (Senegal), Tema (Ghana), and Lomé (Togo) increase their share of the West African transit market. Yet with the return of stability and sizeable expansion…

Interview

Dominique Lafont, CEO, Bolloré Africa Logistics: Interview
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Interview: Dominique Lafont How can south-south trade benefit from transport infrastructure development? DOMINIQUE LAFONT: The African continent has achieved an average growth rate of 5% for nearly a decade, while emerging countries such as China and India have intensified their investment in sub-Saharan Africa. However, while France has lost ground in terms of its relative share, it still remains the biggest foreign direct investor. Better transport infrastructure would help boost productive…

Interview

Gervais Koffi Djondo, Chairman, Asky: Interview
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Interview:Gervais Koffi Djondo How can intra-African air transport be facilitated? GERVAIS KOFFI DJONDO: This is a crucial issue. Intra-African air transport will only become a reality the day we understand the importance of consolidation, and decide to regroup and partner with one another. For instance, in West Africa – excluding Nigeria – one regional airline would be enough to cover market needs. If that were to happen, that airline would have significant resources, with high quality…