Côte d’Ivoire is exploring new friendships, in addition to its traditionally close alignment with France and the West. While the years of conflict chipped away at the country’s regional influence and international diplomatic ties, today Côte d’Ivoire is a crucial member of the regional security infrastructure, notably in opposing the threat of extremism in the Sahel. French Connection In…
Despite global supply chain challenges, the value of trade between China and Africa rose to record levels in 2021. The increase partially reflected a shift in China’s policy away from government-backed investment towards enhanced trade and cooperation. According to the Chinese Customs Agency, the value of the country’s trade with Africa rose by 35% to $254bn that year, driven by an increase in…
Financial technology (fintech) firms are gaining market share that was formerly the preserve of established remittance service providers. Remittances have grown in importance in recent years and today constitute the largest source of foreign income for many developing economies. They also tend to be countercyclical, increasing during economic downturns or natural disasters when other capital flows…
The National Development Plan (Plan National de Développement, PND) 2012-15, the first of three in recent history, was successful in stabilising and reviving the economy in an environment of restored peace. Both in planning and implementation, the PND 2012-15 constituted the backbone of the recovery and growth of the economy, supported by the country’s development partners. This helped Côte d’Ivoire…
Economic activity in UEMOA strengthened in 2021, resulting in 6.1% estimated growth in GDP after a sharp slowdown in 2020 due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Economic stimulus measures implemented by member states and the accommodative monetary policy maintained by the Central Bank of West African States (Banque Centrale des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest, BCEAO) were the primary drivers…
The Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (BRVM) of UEMOA, which includes Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo, began its activities in 1998 with 35 listed shares. The exchange has since grown considerably – by the end of 2021 it had 46 securities, 35 of which were issued by Ivorian companies; and 123 bond lines, 94 of which were listed on the bond…
In 2021 the global economy was marked by an exacerbation of market supply difficulties, in line with the persistent impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. In this context, crude oil prices on international markets jumped by 49.8% in one year in US dollar terms. Over the same period, agricultural producer prices increased by 17.6% compared to 2020. For the main commodities exported by UEMOA countries, prices…
Côte d’Ivoire’s importance as a regional centre for the insurance sector is growing, as an increasing number of pan-African players open offices and branches in Abidjan. The country has been a catalyst for the integration of public and private insurance stakeholders in the 14 member countries of the Inter-African Conference on Insurance Markets (Conférence Interafricaine des Marchés d’Assurances,…
A number of sub-Saharan African countries have sought to introduce taxes on mobile transactions, in response to the sustained uptake prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic. While such moves have been met with criticism, they represent an opportunity to boost tax revenue significantly. The Covid-19 pandemic and its knock-on effects gave rise to a sharp increase in electronic payments across the African continent…
The availability and affordability of financial services such as payments, savings, credit and insurance are central to financial inclusion. Rural populations, women and low-income groups in Côte d’Ivoire have historically had less access to financial services, which has impeded growth and economic activity. The comparatively high cost of traditional banking products has also been a contributor…
