The Ivorian employers' association is planning to equip itself to successfully establish itself within the African continental market, after having been reassured on the robustness of the process of the strength of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation process.
This was made clear on Tuesday, 27 July 2021 at the CGECI headquarters during a meeting between the General Confederation of Enterprises in Cote d'Ivoire (CGECI) and AfCFTA Secretary General Wamkélé Mene, who is on a working visit to Côte d'Ivoire.
CGECI President Jean-Marie Ackah, speaking on behalf of Ivorian businesses and professional organisations, affirmed the private sector's full commitment to the successful implementation of the AfCFTA. He expressed confidence that the agreement presents a significant market development opportunity for the private sector.
The AfCFTA encompasses a market of 1.2 billion consumers and promises benefits such as reduced input costs, enhanced access to foreign direct investment, accelerated industrialisation, job creation led by the private sector, and the empowerment of young people and women.
The Ivorian employers' association is actively working to strengthen business capacities to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the AfCFTA. As part of these efforts, a workshop initiated by the Association for the Promotion of Exports of Côte d'Ivoire (APEX-CI) is being conducted from Monday, 26 July to Friday, 30 July 2021 in Abidjan. This workshop aims to equip small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the necessary tools to successfully export under the AfCFTA framework.
Additionally, there are plans to hold the "CGECI Academy" forum in October 2021, focusing on business resilience. "The ability to export to African countries is a key factor in the resilience of our businesses," noted Mr. Ackah.
The CGECI represents 3,500 companies, which contribute 80% of Côte d'Ivoire's tax revenue and provide over 400,000 jobs, nearly half of the formal employment in the country.
(AIP)
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