The business and investment climate has improved significantly in Côte d'Ivoire in recent years.
years, employers' organizations estimated on Wednesday in Abidjan, stressing however the challenges to be met
in the governance and financing of SMEs.
“Access to financing for businesses is still insufficient, economic governance and
trade remains to be strengthened, the tax base must be widened so that the tax burden is more
balanced", listed the Confederation of large companies of Côte d'Ivoire (CGECI, employers),
the General Union of Industrial Enterprises (UGECI) and the European Chamber of Commerce in Côte
d'Ivoire (Eurocham).
These organizations stressed the need to develop "human capital" through a better match
between training and employment. They also pleaded for an effort on infrastructure: "Energy,
public services, transport and communications need to be strengthened".
Finally, the business climate also suffers from limited internet access, given the high prices.
"The subscription is more expensive in Côte d'Ivoire than in many other African countries (Ghana, Senegal,
Cape Verde, Cameroon...)", they denounced.
Some 60% of foreign investment in Côte d'Ivoire comes from the EU", recalled the Ambassador of
EU in Ivory Coast, Jobst von Kirchmann.
In 2018, the World Bank's Vice President for Africa, Maktar Diop, asked the authorities
Ivorian authorities to continue their efforts to reduce bureaucracy and corruption (...) and delays
important in terms of technology and productivity.