Côte d'Ivoire is actively preparing its economy for greater integration within the African continent. This ambition took a significant step forward on 31 October 2018, when the Ivorian National Assembly ratified the AfCFTA Agreement. This commitment continues as demonstrated by today’s launch of a major national awareness forum in Abidjan.
The key question driving this forum is: How can Côte d'Ivoire capitalise on the AfCFTA to address cross-border trade challenges and unlock its potential for revenue growth, industrial processing, and job creation? This forum, organised by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and SME Promotion, and attended by Mr. Tèi Konzi, ECOWAS Commissioner for Trade, Customs, and Free Movement aims to provide answers.
Held from 02 to 03 May 2019, the event is a collaborative effort with UNECA to establish a national strategy for implementing the AfCFTA in Côte d'Ivoire. The discussions are designed to elucidate the legal and technical structures of the free trade area and underscore the economic opportunities it presents for the country.
"Our nation, the second-largest economy in ECOWAS, has consistently participated in pivotal African integration initiatives," said Souleymane Diarrassouba, Côte d'Ivoire’s Minister of Trade, Industry, and SME Promotion. "Côte d'Ivoire's economy is already oriented towards an international approach, with intra-African trade accounting for 34%, including 27% within the ECOWAS region. The implementation of the AfCFTA would allow us to significantly increase these percentages, including outside of the ECOWAS."
Bringing together 100 participants, the forum serves as a platform for dialogue between public and private stakeholders, aiming to align the AfCFTA's opportunities with Côte d'Ivoire’s development goals and work on solutions to the challenges identified. Key topics include market access, rules of origin, intellectual property, investment, and competition policies.
“The AfCFTA would allow Ivorian businesses to go from a market of 24 million to a common market of 1.2 billion people,” stated Ghitu Mundunge, representative of UNECA’s regional office for West Africa. “This shift is a game-changer for the national economy, enhancing the capacity of Ivorian businesses in exports, diversification, structural transformation and job creation. This will require inclusive stakeholder engagement, which is precisely what today’s forum in Abidjan seeks to achieve.”
In 2018, Côte d'Ivoire established a National Committee on the AfCFTA, comprising various government agencies. The Strategic and Decision-Making Committee (SDMC), led by the Prime Minister, includes more than 19 ministers, along with private sector and civil society representatives. The Technical Committee is composed of directors general from Customs, Tax, and international trade authorities.
Komi Tsowou, head of the UNECA delegation, highlighted, “Implementing the AfCFTA requires a pre-defined national strategy that is both ambitious and inclusive, reflecting the expectations of both the private sector and civil society.”
This forum is part of UNECA’s ongoing commitment to supporting African countries by providing capacity-building assistance to governments, upon request, for developing national strategies for the implementation of the AfCFTA.
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Economic Commission for Africa
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