En Français As Africa embraces the transformative power of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Special Economic Zones (SEZs) emerge as pivotal catalysts for regional economic growth.The impact of AfCFTA on SEZs on the continent is a key part of Africa’s growth, through improved market access, reduced trade barriers, and participation in regional value chains, which all enhance…
In English Alors que l'Afrique se lance dans une nouvelle ère marquée par la Zone de Libre-Échange Continentale Africaine (ZLECAf), les Zones Économiques Spéciales (ZES) émergent en tant que catalyseurs favorisant la croissance économique régionale. L'impact de la nouvelle ZLECAf sur les ZES du continent est un vecteur clé pour la croissance de l'Afrique, avec une amélioration…
The retail sector in Côte d’Ivoire has expanded significantly in recent years, attracting foreign brands and seeing the emergence of a number of national retail companies. The issuance of identification cards to official retail traders has helped organise the largely informal commercial sector. The programme also enables small shopkeepers to gain better access to funding. Several new opportunities…
As urbanisation continues, the industrial sector is growing, with more people being employed in industry while traditional agricultural employment decreases. However, agriculture continues to play a significant part in the industrial sector through the development of new processing and packaging facilities. Cocoa and cotton, two major exports, were largely resilient to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic,…
The government has introduced several new policies to enhance the country’s industrial sector and, in turn, enable private and foreign investors to enter the market. While agro-industry remains the country’s largest industrial segment, the authorities plan to develop other industries and export sectors as the country’s population becomes increasingly urbanised. Industrial Development The National…
West Africa is experiencing a higher rate of inflation due to lingering pandemic-related challenges, as well as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Constraints on commodity supply chains have dramatically increased the price of several goods, such as food and energy. Meanwhile, sanctions on Russian exports, especially oil and gas, are likely to push global prices higher, making it more…
Interview:Pascal Bordeaux What are the main assets that characterise the retail market in Côte d’Ivoire? PASCAL BORDEAUX: Côte d’Ivoire has seen an improvement in several macroeconomic indicators in recent years, with GDP increasing at a rate of between 7.5% and 8% annually since 2012. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Côte d’Ivoire was one of the few countries around the world that saw…
Interview:Christian Schindler What factors underpin West Africa’s potential to be a regional leader in textiles? CHRISTIAN SCHINDLER: West Africa has not traditionally been known as a destination for textiles or apparel manufacturing. Now that nearshoring is gaining traction, several factors work in favour of efforts to capture a share of China’s market share. The most evident of these…
By investing heavily in the development of the industrial sector and making national policy more favourable for private investment, the government has helped accelerate the growth of industry. Traditional sectors such as agriculture are being transformed as processing capabilities expand through the development of new industrial zones, adding greater value to the sector. Furthermore, international…
A dynamic, diverse and rapidly growing country, Côte d’Ivoire is one of the largest economies in West Africa, with a promising growth outlook and favourable demographic prospects. Economic growth is expected to continue following robust recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, with a projected growth rate of 6% for 2022. However, the global inflationary environment, the geopolitical uncertainty cau
