Côte d'Ivoire
This paper uses network analysis to map and characterise live animal trade in West Africa. Building on a database of 42 251 animal movements collected by the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) from 2013-17, it describes the structure of regional livestock trade at the network, trade community and market levels. Despite yearly fluctuations in the volumes and spatial patterns of trade, the paper shows that regional livestock trade operates on well-established trade corridors as animals flow in specific directions. The study also confirms that livestock trade is structured around several national and cross-border groups of markets that exchange more animals than expected by chance. Close to two-thirds of all animals are shipped internationally, indicating that regional animal trade in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is remarkably cross-border. Finally, the paper finds that the hub markets that concentrate the most shipments also handle more animals and trade with more markets. Additionally, peripheral markets have more defined roles as primarily origins or destinations of animal shipments than markets in the core of the network. Of the nine key markets identified, three are close to borders, highlighting the importance of Nigeria as a livestock consumption destination for regional livestock production.
Côte d’Ivoire’s tax system needs radical change if the country’s development and economic transformation goals are to be achieved. Partial reforms will not do. Complete tax reform, adapted to present conditions, must create well-balanced taxation that generates revenue and motivates taxpayers. Fundamental features will include a gradual reduction of customs tariffs and development of other taxes such as value-added tax (VAT). Far-reaching cross-sector reforms should also produce a stronger and simpler tax system with fewer exemptions and up-to-date procedures. They should result in an efficient, competent and transparent tax administration to increase the trust of taxpayers and fight fraud.
This chapter describes cross-sector constraints affecting the proposed reforms and pre-conditions for carrying them out and speeding up progress towards the status of an emerging nation. It suggests creating a top-level unit to implement reforms and steer change and lists the major features of support needed for them: communication, co-ordination and follow-up. The condition of emerging nation must be the fruit of an agreement between the most senior politicians and be conveyed to all Ivorians, including the private sector. The government must ensure good co-operation between public bodies, since most of the reforms will need the involvement of many participants. Any economic transformation depends on robust monitoring and assessment of the reforms, so a table of indicators adapted to the country’s emergence is presented.
This chapter brings together findings from the three volumes of the Multi-dimensional Review of Côte d’Ivoire. It describes Côte d’Ivoire’s objective of reaching the status of emergent economy/country by 2020, which requires ambitious targets, avoidance of past errors, and the laying of solid development foundations. No universally agreed definition of emergence exists but there is a general agreement that it applies to what used to be called developing countries that have achieved some industrial capacity and are on the path to becoming industrialised nations. Economic development will rely on a balanced economic model for inclusive and sustainable growth relying on structural transformation that creates jobs and extra added value. Enhanced regional co-operation and integration will play a key part in making good use of opportunities in all sectors. Emergence also requires effective and sustainable infrastructure and better access to financing. The workforce will need to be take advantage of high-quality education and suitable skills. A tax policy well adapted to funding public goods and services will also be essential.
The Multi-dimensional Review of Côte d'Ivoire aims to support the crafting of a development strategy for Côte d'Ivoire to reach emergence, the status of emergent economy, in 2020. The report recommends that Ivorian authorities focus on diversifying Côte d'Ivoire’s economy towards a more industrialised and modern structure, while supporting the economy’s competitiveness. To achieve this goal, Côte d'Ivoire needs to improve and develop its infrastructure network in the entire territory, encourage private sector investment in particular in SMEs, and improve education levels. A tax system that generates less distortion and more revenue to finance the growing needs of the country will also be required. This report details recommendations for each thematic area aimed at removing obstacles to emergence.
The successful implementation of these reforms will require a more efficient public administration to promote the priority projects, stimulate more changes and ensure the operationalisation of actions. This report also provides a dashboard that tracks progress and provides the basis for the evaluation of changes leading to emergence in 2020.
There has been substantial investment in human capital in Côte d’Ivoire, allowing the country to meet its immediate economic needs, but today the quality of that human capital is increasingly an obstacle to economic transformation. The government is trying hard to expand access to education, an initiative that has produced rapid results, but three areas need political attention; upgrading education through better initial and on-the-job teacher training; adapting technical and vocational education to the labour market through greater employer involvement in devising and teaching programmes; and giving certificates to workers for their skills rather than for what courses they have taken.
The growth of the Ivorian economy is handicapped by a lack of funding. For firms and individuals to have easier access to financing, more bank loans are needed and alternative funding sources have to be developed. Lower credit risks and a more effective guarantee system will cut the cost of financial intermediation and result in more lending. More funding for loans is needed, with longer repayment times, to develop a financial system that can meet the demands on the road to emerging nation status. The issue of financial inclusion is of prime importance.
Volume 3 of the Multi-dimensional Review of Côte d’Ivoire is the third phase of the study, which began in September 2014. The OECD Development Centre worked closely with Côte d’Ivoire authorities during this phase. A multi-disciplinary team of experts from the Multi-dimensional Country Reviews (MDCR) Unit, as well as an infrastructure expert, worked in close partnership with the office of the Côte d’Ivoire prime minister to produce the report. The experts were actively supported by an Ivorian liaison team that helped organise the 21-30 September 2015 mission and provided access to many of the local documents and data cited in the report. A group of top Ivorian experts was also in Paris between 12 and 19 November 2015 to work with the OECD experts.
To become an emerging economy, Côte d’Ivoire must strengthen its infrastructure, in terms both of its quantity and quality. Not everyone has access to essential parts of it (electricity, transport and telecommunications), which hampers growth and development. Besides, the costs of some services (such as transport and telecommunications) that rely on infrastructure are higher than in other emerging countries or relative to average household income, which makes the Ivorian economy less competitive. Becoming an emerging economy is only one stage in development, so Côte d’Ivoire should pay attention to sustained, long-term infrastructure investment, in respect of both government spending and the environment.
Côte d’Ivoire’s past shows that economic growth has not been sufficiently sustainable to allow the country to achieve emergence: that is to say, progress towards the status of an emerging economy or market. The sustained growth of the 1960-80 period, the Ivorian “miracle”, was followed by a period of long decline. Per capita gross domestic product (GDP) doubled between independence in 1960 and the end of the 1970s. But 15 years later, into the mid-1990s, it receded to its 1960 level and stagnated there until the recent revival.
Côte d'Ivoire: Stock of Total External Debt (percentage of GDP) and Debt Service (percentage of exports of goods and services) appears in African Economic Outlook 2009.
Côte d'Ivoire: Real GDP Growth and Per Capita GDP (USD/PPP at current prices) appears in African Economic Outlook 2009.
Economic activity after the post-election crisis was more vigorous than expected. The return of confidence among economic actors in the aftermath of the normalisation of the security situation and increased peace efforts was accordingly confirmed. After a fall of 4.7% in 2011 real gross domestic product (GDP) registered growth estimated at 8.6% in 2012, driven by public investment and the pick-up in final consumption. In the medium term the implementation of the National Development Plan (PND) 2012-15 should put the country back on the trajectory of inclusive and sustainable growth. GDP is forecast to grow in 2013 and 2014 at 8.9% and 9.8% respectively, sustained by the recovery of oil and gas production and by a rise in investment prompted by a better business climate and a strengthening of public-private partnerships.