Republic of Côte d'Ivoire Union - Discipline - Labor

Government Spokesperson

COMMUNIQUE OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF WEDNESDAY 06 MAY 2020

On Wednesday, May 06, 2020, a Council of Ministers was held from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the Palace of the Presidency of the Republic in Abidjan, under the chairmanship of His Excellency Mr. Alassane OUATTARA, President of the Republic, Head of State .

The agenda for this meeting included the following items:

A/- General Measures

- Bills and ordinances

 Draft decrees

B/-Communications

A/– GENERAL MEASURES

BILLS AND ORDINANCES

Under the Ministry to the Prime Minister, in charge of the Budget and the State Portfolio;

The Council adopted an ordinance derogating from the provisions of the Public Procurement Code relating to penalties for delay in public procurement and orders, as well as its ratification bill.

As part of the Economic, Social and Humanitarian Support Plan, complementary to the Health Response Plan, this ordinance cancels the late penalties payable by holders of public contracts and other State orders, from April 6 to April 6. July 2020, in order to help companies safeguard production tools and jobs.

DRAFT DECREES

1- Under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in liaison with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene and the Ministry to the Prime Minister, in charge of the Budget and the 'State ;

The Board adopted a decree ratifying loan agreement no. 6652-CI, for a total amount of thirty-two million (32,000,000) Euros, i.e. twenty billion nine hundred and ninety million six hundred and twenty-four thousand (20,990,624,000) CFA francs, concluded on May 05, 2020 between the International Development Association (AID) and the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, for the financing of the COVID response project -19 and strengthening the health system's capacity to prepare for epidemics.

This funding will make it possible to strengthen the operational mechanism for the prevention and management of cases, in order to deal with the threat posed by COVID-19, as well as to better prepare the national health system for epidemics.

2- Under the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Urban Planning, in conjunction with the Ministry of Equipment and Road Maintenance, the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry to the Prime Minister , in charge of the Budget and the State Portfolio;

The Council adopted a decree declaring the public utility of the perimeters of the project to build the “Anyama-Autoroute du Nord-Carrefour Jacqueville” section of the Y4 bypass highway.

This measure is part of the implementation of the Greater Abidjan Competitiveness Support Project (PACOGA), which includes the construction of several road infrastructures and the establishment of a sufficient mass public transport offer to cope with the strong urbanization and the geospatial extension of the city of Abidjan towards the surrounding cities.

3- Under the Ministry of Mines and Geology, in conjunction with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and the Ministry to the Prime Minister, in charge of Budget and Portfolio of State;

The Council adopted three (03) decrees granting mining exploration permits valid for gold:

• a decree granting a mining research permit to the company “YAM'S MINING SA” in the department of Daoukro;

• a decree granting a mining research permit to the company “YAM'S MINING SA” in the departments of Bocanda and Dimbokro;

• a decree granting a mining research permit to the “SOCIETE IVOIRIENNE DE RECHERCHE ET D'EXPLOITATION MINIERE SA” in the department of Dabakala.

These permits are valid for a period of four (04) years.

4- Under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, in conjunction with the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry to the Prime Minister, in charge of the Budget and the State Portfolio;

The Council adopted a decree approving the concession contract for the operation of the Single Window for Foreign Trade and the Customs Support Service Contract, signed on November 18, 2019.

These various contracts were signed between the State and the Single Window for Foreign Trade (GUCE) with a view to leading the dematerialization of Foreign Trade procedures and formalities, so as to reduce costs, as well as delays in order to increase the competitiveness of the national economy.

This decree approves the terms of these contracts in accordance with the regulations in force regarding public-private partnerships.

B/– COMMUNICATIONS

1- Under the Ministry of Economy and Finance, in conjunction with the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection and the Ministry to the Prime Minister, in charge of Budget and State Portfolio;

The Council adopted a communication on the results of the National Risk Assessment (ENR) in the fight against money laundering, financing of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (AML/FT-PADM).

As part of the preparations for the second cycle of the mutual evaluation of the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) which will take place in February 2021, the Government commissioned an NRA which lasted from December 06, 2018 to December 31, 2019.

Overall, this national assessment shows a low, almost non-existent risk for the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, due to the enormous financial resources required to possess this type of weapon. However, the risks of terrorist financing and money laundering exist due, in particular, to the intensity of cross-border movements and the insufficiency of controls on financial flows in certain sectors such as that of designated non-financial businesses and professions.

Thus, the Council instructed the Minister of Economy and Finance and all the Ministers concerned to take the appropriate measures for the development and adoption of a national strategy for the mitigation of risks or shortcomings identified. This national policy document defining the corrective measures to be implemented, in accordance with the international procedures in force, should make it possible to protect the national economy and to pass the mutual evaluation of February 2021.

2- Under the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene;

The Council adopted a communication on the analysis of the implementation of the response plan against the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), as of 30 April 2020.

The evaluation of the implementation of the national response plan as of April 30, 2020, i.e. two (02) months following the start of the response, highlights the following observations:

- sequestration of the disease in Abidjan, epicenter of the pandemic with 98% of confirmed cases. Since April 21, 2020, no new confirmed cases have been recorded inside the country;

- the increase in the number of tests, on average 300 tests per day, i.e. more than 9,200 tests, with a prevalence of the disease varying between 10% and 20%;

- the decentralization of biological diagnosis by integrating new laboratories into the diagnosis circuit;

- meetings with parliamentarians, mayors, presidents of regional councils and civil society for increased social mobilization in the fight against COVID-19;

- the opening of reception and screening sites, in particular those of Cocody Saint Jean, Marcory Cap Sud, Treichville Gare de Bondoukou and Yopougon ex-BAE, with a screening approach targeted at symptomatic patients, subjects contacts and vulnerable populations;

- systematic referral to Abidjan of patients screened inside the country;

- the equipment, in progress, of intensive care units at treatment sites;

- the supply of personal protective equipment for healthcare teams and the availability of drugs at treatment and diagnostic sites;

- the strict application of the national guidelines for care in the private health structures selected by the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene.

Also, the Council reiterates its encouragement to the medical profession and to all the players on the front line in the fight against this pandemic who, to date, have succeeded in containing the mortality rate at 1.18% and raising the rate recovery at 45% above the average in Africa.

3- Under the Ministry to the Prime Minister, in charge of the Budget and the State Portfolio;

The Council adopted a communication on the situation of public procurement operations in the first quarter of 2020.

The amount of contracts approved at the end of March 2020 amounted to 58.6 billion CFA francs against 170.5 billion CFA francs, at the same period in 2019, a decrease of 65.6%. In number, 185 contracts were approved in the first quarter of 2020, compared to 516 in the same period in 2019, a decrease of 64.1%.

Competitive procedures relating to calls for tenders represent 73.7% of contracts approved at the end of March 2020 against 76.8% at the end of March 2020, i.e. a drop of 3.1 points. Non-competitive procedures including over-the-counter contracts represent 25.5% of the amount of approved contracts in the first quarter of 2020 compared to 21% in the same period in 2019, an increase of 4.5 points.

This downward trend observed overall in public procurement operations in the first quarter of 2020 is explained by the delays observed in the finalization of formalities related to the switch to program budget mode and the development of the new Budget Information System. However, the share of contracts awarded to SMEs increased from 10.4% at the end of March 2019 to 18.7% at the end of March 2020, an increase of 8.3 points.

Done in Abidjan, May 06, 2020

Sidi Tiémoko TOURE

Minister of Communication and Media,

Government Spokesperson

[email protected]