Industry & Mining
From The Report: Cote d'Ivoire 2015
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Côte d’Ivoire’s industrial sector has a long and storied history as one of the most developed in the sub-region, but as with many parts of the economy, it is recovering from the adverse impact of a decade of unrest. Resolution of the political crisis in 2011, and the recovery that it sparked, has started to bring about improvements. As such, the secondary sector increased its contribution to national GDP to 30% in 2011, compared to 27% in 2010, according to figures from the Ministry of Industry and Mines. While rising global prices of natural resources such as oil and gas, which accounted for 21% of the sector in 2011, have been a key factor, an uptick in agro-industrial activity in cocoa, palm oil and rubber has led to higher output in the nation’s processing plants. Other factors were public works and energy, which accounted for 9% and 3%, respectively. While the 2012 Investment Code and the new industrial policy are steps in the right direction, there is scope for more improvement.

This chapter contains interviews with Adham El Khalil, CEO, Eurofind Participation; and Clare Short, Chair of the Board, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

New frontiers: A revamped approach aims to increase investment and diversification
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Côte d’Ivoire’s industrial sector has a long and storied history as one of the most developed in the sub-region, but as with many parts of the economy, it is recovering from the adverse impact of a decade of unrest. As a result, the country’s productive capacity fell to levels below that of the 1990s – an upbeat period marked by price and market liberalisation – as much of the foreign-owned industrial base moved elsewhere. Resolution of the political crisis in 2011 however, and the recovery…

Interview

Adham El Khalil, CEO, Eurofind Participation: Interview
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Interview: Adham El Khalil How can the energy costs and supply of raw materials for steel producers be better managed? ADHAM EL KHALIL: The cost of energy remains one of the greatest challenges for steel mills. Compared to other steel producing countries like China, India or Turkey, the cost of electricity is substantially higher in Côte d’Ivoire. Steel producers in those countries benefit from low energy costs and are therefore more competitive than Ivorian companies. Energy prices in Côte…

Analysis

Broad reform: Revamped industrial policy targets sweeping changes
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Côte d’Ivoire is aiming to increase the contribution of its industrial sector to the national economy from 25% at present to 40% by 2020 as part of a brand new, fouryear industrial programme. Known as the National Enterprise and Restructuring and Upgrading Programme (Programme National de Restructuration et de Mise à Niveau, PNRMN), and launched in March 2014, the initiative has been developed with support from the UN Industrial Development Organisation in part to curb chronic under-investment…

Analysis

New signposts for exports: A clearer growth strategy emerges under recent government directives
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The government has set up an export council charged with implementing a strategy to diversify the world’s leading cocoa exporter away from its traditional markets and provide a roadmap for realising opportunities related to mining and rubber, among other segments. The National Export Council (Conseil National des Exportations, CNE) was established in June 2014 following the government’s fourth consultation in April with the International Trade Centre (ITC), which has served as a partner for…

Analysis

Making adjustments: Retail and automobile growth exposes a wider logistics issue
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Broad economic recovery, with real GDP growth at 8.7% in 2013 — albeit from a low base — bodes well for Côte d’Ivoire’s retail sector. According to the IMF, the country’s current positive macro-economic outlook is supported by “sustained strong domestic demand”, aided in part by low inflationary pressure of 1.2%. The forecast, combined with a gradual rise in household income, is set to encourage consumer confidence and, eventually, bring about a significant uptick in spending. The…

Interview

Clare Short, Chair of the Board, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI): Interview
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Interview:Clare Short What challenges do transparency initiatives face in ensuring good governance in sub-Saharan Africa? CLARE SHORT: For the earliest reporting, the EITI focused on revenue transparency – basically, what companies pay to governments compared to what governments receive. We then reconciled and checked those figures. Regarding enforcement – it is not that difficult – a bi-annual report system has been put in place with a validation process; therefore, figures have to…

Analysis

Mining developments: New regulatory changes are part of ambitious long-term targets
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The mining sector is a key pillar of Côte d’Ivoire’s economic diversification strategy due to both its high potential for foreign investment and government revenues and its currently low level of development. Much of the modest attention the mining sector has received thus far has been focused on gold and, to a lesser extent, manganese and diamonds which, until recently, were banned from exportation by the United Nations. However, the country has sizeable reserves of other metals and minerals,…