This is an example of a successful return to his native country. After more than 15 years in the United States, Amon Blé Marcène (pictured) returned to settle in Côte d'Ivoire where she opened two upscale restaurants in Abidjan. Projects financed, from own funds and by the bank, to the tune of one billion three hundred and fifty thousand CFA francs.
Like Marcène, more and more Ivorians living abroad are responding to the call to return home launched by the Head of State, Alassane Ouattara in 2011. But still insufficient to really contribute to the development of the country. Hence the organization since 2015 of the Ivorian Diaspora Forum.
For the 3rd edition, held on July 15 and 16, these Ivorians arrived from America, Asia, Europe and several African countries to soak up the opportunities in terms of employment, investment and financing mechanisms. But also measure the difficulties they may face.
"The purpose of this forum is to see how Côte d'Ivoire could maximize the 180 billion CFA francs it receives per year from remittances. Because, only 10 billion of this sum goes to productive projects, "says Ally Coulibaly Minister of Integration and Ivorians Abroad.
A will displayed by the highest authorities of the country through the presence at this meeting of the Prime Minister, Amadou Gon Coulibaly and other members of government. This is proof that the return of expatriates is not the responsibility of a single ministry. This was not the case before. A study by the OECD and CIRES even revealed a lack of coordination of the actions of the different ministries in migration management policy.
During these 48 hours of exchanges and sharing of experience on good practices in Africa and elsewhere, recommendations, including the adoption of the management policy of Ivorians abroad, the establishment of a system for the development and monitoring of their projects and the mapping of talents, have been made to achieve this objective.
For the time being, the one million two hundred and forty thousand Ivorians established outside the national borders will, perhaps, not abandon everything in their host countries to return to the country. But their eagerness to contribute to the construction of a modern and prosperous Côte d'Ivoire continues to grow over the years.