OBG Event

19 Sep 2013

Oxford Business Group launched The Report: Côte d’Ivoire 2013 to an audience of over 500 at Hotel Pullman Abidjan on 19th September 2013. The report was launched by Minister of Commerce, Crafts and SME Promotion Jean-Louis Billon; other speakers included Emmanuel Esmel Essis, Director-General of the Côte d’Ivoire Investment Promotion Agency and Andrew Jeffreys, OBG’s Editor in Chief.

Oxford Business Group publishes landmark economic investment guide

The key role earmarked for the private sector in helping Côte d’Ivoire gain ‘emerging country’ status by 2020 and regaining its niche as a regional economic centre is explored in a landmark report just produced by the global publishing, research and consultancy firm Oxford Business Group (OBG).

The Report: Côte d’Ivoire 2013, OBG’s first publication on the country, will chart the government’s efforts to attract new investment and roll out several public-private partnerships (PPPs) as its National Development Plan gathers pace.

It will also analyse Côte d’Ivoire’s impressive recovery from the 2010-11 political crisis, which has seen it notch up 9.8% GDP growth in 2012, supported by a forecast rise of 8% for the current year.

The Report: Côte d’Ivoire 2013 will be launched on September 19th at the Hotel Pullman, Abidjan. Around 500 VIP guests are expected to attend the launch, including the Minister of Commerce, Crafts and SME Promotion Jean-Louis Billon, who will make a key-note speech at the event.

The Report: Côte d’Ivoire 2013 contains contributions from President Alassane Dramane Ouattara and the Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, Daniel Kablan Duncan, together with a detailed, sector-by-sector guide for investors.

It also provides a wide range of interviews with leading political, economic and business representatives, including the UK’s Parliamentary Undersecretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Mark Simmonds, the founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Mo Ibrahim and the Director-General of the Côte d’Ivoire Investment Promotion Agency Emmanuel Esmel Essis.

With the country poised to embark on a wave of new construction activity, The Report: Côte d’Ivoire 2013 shines the spotlight on the list of new projects in the pipeline which include housing and urban development, road projects and port upgrades.

It also maps out the government’s efforts to encourage industrial investment in value-added manufacturing through a range of initiatives as part of a broader bid to boost exports.

OBG’s new publication explores the country’s plans to invest in its power network with a view to expanding electricity coverage and meet rising demand. It mulls the potentialCôte d’Ivoire has to become a major regional power producer, thanks to its infrastructure and ample energy resources.

Regional Editor, Robert Tashima, said that Côte d’Ivoire’s strong growth over the past 12 months had provided solid foundations on which the country could continue building its business environment by overhauling physical infrastructure, improving security and reducing bureaucracy. “If further progress is made, then Côte d’Ivoire is likely see robust growth over the medium-term,” he said. “Job creation and inclusive growth remain a concern, but the country’s fundamentals offer outsized potential.”

Andrew Jeffreys, CEO, OBG, added that Côte d’Ivoire’s success in securing international funding for projects from multilateral donors would instill confidence in international investors, providing a boost to the country’s expansion efforts.

“International lenders are working to reduce Côte d’Ivoire’s debt burden, while the country’s development plan is steering targeted growth, particularly in manufacturing, agriculture, transport and financial services,” he said. “Renewed investor confidence will undoubtedly be instrumental in supporting Côte d’Ivoire’s efforts to reaffirm its position on the global stage and deliver sustained double-digit growth. I welcome the opportunity to relay the country’s progress and achievements to business leaders through our first-time publication.”

The report has been produced with research assistance from the Centre de Promotion des Investissements en Côte d’Ivoire (CEPICI), Hudson & Cie, Bilé-Aka, Brizoua-Bi et Associés and KPMG Côte d’Ivoire.

Marking the culmination of more than six months of field research by a team of analysts from OBG, The Report: Côte d’Ivoire 2013 assesses trends and developments across the economy, including macroeconomics, infrastructure, banking and other sectoral developments. The Report: Côte d’Ivoire 2013 is available in print or online.