AfDB conducts high-level consultation on Côte d'Ivoire Country Strategy Paper

The experts from the African Development Bank led by the Director-General for West Africa, Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, responded to the concerns of the audience.

"We salute the African Development Bank, a major player that accompanies our country and whose multifaceted support contributes to the fight against poverty and the transformation of our economy," said Nialé Kaba, Minister of Planning and Development of Africa. Ivory Coast, Monday, September 3, 2018, in Abidjan.

This was during the high-level consultation on the Bank's new Country Strategy Paper (CSP) in Côte d'Ivoire for 2018-2022, which mobilized nearly 200 participants - government representatives, civil society-private sector, parliamentarians, development partners and national and international media.

The experts from the African Development Bank led by the Director-General for West Africa, Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, responded to the concerns of the audience.

Stressing the relevance of the presentation made by the chief economist, Richard Doffonsou, Minister Nialé Kaba focused on the strategic partnership between the Bank and the Government of Côte d'Ivoire, which translates into for two decades, by a strong momentum of the Bank's investments in the country.

And to indicate that "the CSP 2018-2022, prepared through a participatory process, meets the objectives of the National Development Plan 2017-2022". The minister has praised the Bank's interventions in vital sectors in Côte d'Ivoire.

Present in all key sectors of the economy, the Bank has increased tenfold its commitments in Côte d'Ivoire with its 2013-2017 CSP.

Echoing this presentation, Minister Kaba noted that the Bank's 2013-2017 strategy has blown off-net commitments in Côte d'Ivoire, from 234 million euros in 2013 to 1.12 billion euros. at the end of August 2018, divided into 23 operations: 11 public sector projects (for 54.9% of commitments); seven private sector projects (23.2%) and five regional projects (21.9%).

The areas targeted in implementing this strategy are transport, energy, agriculture, governance, water and sanitation and public finances, which, according to the conclusions of these presentations, "have that are the pride of the Ivorian communities ".

The presentation focused on the human capital component, indicating that over the period 2013 to 2017, the Bank contributed to the reintegration of 12,500 ex-combatants and youth at-risk unemployed out of 15,000 targeted; the creation of 1,500 permanent jobs for young graduates; training 1,188 young people in various trades; and the rehabilitation of nearly 30 schools and 7 health centers.

As for the water and sanitation sector, the Bank concentrated its efforts on improving the living conditions and environment of the Abidjan populations, contributing to the reduction of more than 87% of the flooded area. at the Indénié crossroads (from 4 ha to 0.5 ha) and the reduction of the prevalence of waterborne diseases in the districts of the Guru Basin. As part of the CSP 2018-2022, the Bank is planning a second phase of the project on other watersheds in order to substantially mitigate floods during the rainy season.

In the area of public financial management, the Bank participated in the implementation of national procedures for almost all open tenders, strengthening results-based management, up 95% the rate of execution of social expenditures and the strengthening of the capacity of the financial authorities.

The impact of the projects on beneficiaries, as well as the results garnered by Côte d'Ivoire for the development of infrastructure to support economic recovery, were also highlighted in the presentation. Thanks to the Bank's contribution, the energy sector has increased production capacity of Ciprel and Azito Energie by 362 megawatts, or 20% of the total installed capacity of the country, as well as reduced load shedding. and improved business competitiveness.

This program has led to an increase in households' access to electricity and a network interconnection with three countries (Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea). In addition, the Bank and Côte d'Ivoire are working together on the rural electrification of 252 localities and the connection of 20,000 households to the west.

The Bank has injected billions of CFA francs into structuring projects in Côte d'Ivoire, to the great satisfaction of communities, particularly in transport: opening up cocoa production basins in the east and west of the country ; 256 kilometers of paved road on the Ivory Coast-Liberia axis; 1,820 kilometers of rehabilitated rural roads (Djuablin); improvement of automobile traffic and urban transport in Abidjan and completion of its third bridge, known as the Henri-Konan-Bédié bridge.

The African Development Bank is also a key player in the construction of the future and fourth bridge of the economic capital, which will connect the districts of Plateau and Yopougon, whose work began in July 2018. The Bank also supported Côte d'Ivoire for the interconnection of electricity grids with Liberia, Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, facilitated transport on the Ivory Coast-Mali corridor and created income-generating activities for women on along the corridors.

To transform Ivorian agriculture, one of its major ambitions, the Bank has contributed to a substantial increase in the production and marketing of agricultural products; the development of 456 ha of lowlands; the rehabilitation of 620 kilometers of rural roads; the creation of 22,000 jobs in the Djuablin region and 19,000 in Aries. The Bank has also built 26 warehouses and 10 rural markets and completed 40 new boreholes, providing rural communities with access to safe drinking water.

An exchange session allowed Minister Nialé Kaba, the Director-General Akin-Olugbade and the African Development Bank experts present to highlight the relevance of the interventions on several topics: the consideration of gender issues; capacity building; accompanying measures to make SMEs the major actors in youth employment; Bank support for the promotion of the private sector; the role of scientific research and statistical information. Issues related to tax reforms, port competitiveness, youth employability support, and the monitoring and evaluation mechanisms of the CSP and the National Development Plan were discussed and discussed.

In this capacity, the secretary for external relations of the Ivorian Civil Society Convention (CSCI), Diakalia Ouattara, praised the Bank's efforts to make agriculture a real business in Côte d'Ivoire. He also welcomed the relations with the Bank, which enabled CSCI to be involved in the preparation of this new CSP.

EUR 243.9 million available in the project reserve in Côte d'Ivoire for the period 2018-2022

Some crucial lessons have been learned from these in-depth discussions. M me Akin-Olugbade welcomed all contributions and stressed the commitment of the Bank to take account, in order to provide appropriate solutions to transform the Ivory Coast.

"Thank you for the relevance of the contributions that will serve as a basis for perfecting the CSP," she said. We must be bold to find the best answer to the questions raised and allow the government of Côte d'Ivoire to take up the challenge of transforming its economy. If the CSP is adopted in September, some 160 billion CFA francs (approximately 243.9 million euros, ed) will be available in the pipeline of projects for the period 2018-2022. "

"The Country Strategy Paper 2018-2022 confirms the excellent cooperation with the Bank to support the economy of Côte d'Ivoire, " Minister Nialé Kaba concluded, welcoming the richness of the debates.