While the situation is extremely unstable on the financial markets, the BRVM is adapting and recording
signs of investor confidence for the future.
It is a symbolic act that punctuates the days of all stock exchanges in the world. The ringtone of
the bell when opening and closing. At the start of the year, when traditions are shaken up by the
Covid-19 pandemic, each institution is adapting. Context of anti-Covid measures requires, Friday, May 15,
the UEMOA Regional Stock Exchange based in the Ivorian economic capital is
switched to virtual mode for the bell ringing ceremony. The participants all connected to
distance. The Minister of Health and Public Hygiene of Côte d'Ivoire, Dr Aouélé Eugène Aka, was
the guest. He rang the bell for the closing of the market from Aboisso, 117 kilometers from Abidjan. " That
bell ringing shows our determination to put a stop to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is for us
to add our voice to that of our authorities for the sensitization of the populations of our Union to the reality
of this pandemic, the gravity and foreseeable consequences of which raise serious concerns",
said the minister.

Adapt to realities
The general manager of the Stock Exchange, the Togolese Félix Edoh Kossi Amenounve, was at the headquarters. " It's about
for us to add our voice to the sensitization of the populations of UEMOA on the reality of the pandemic
whose seriousness and foreseeable consequences raise serious concerns,” he said. In
despite this health context, “our activities are maintaining a good level, as evidenced by the
securities that have been traded on our market. Our indices also show some
resilience which reflects the optimism of investors", rejoices the Togolese.
The optimistic BRVM
Indeed, while the Covid-19 has caused a sharp drop in the markets since the beginning of the year
financial institutions, paradoxically, the West African sub-regional financial market is doing relatively well. " At
level of the financial markets, the new burst of bad economic figures unveiled in the week
elapsed did not shake investor confidence. The latter have, once again, relied on
the hopes of a rapid return to a normal situation which will make it possible to restart economic activity
world. In addition, the continued rebound in oil prices, with a jump of more than 20% in oil prices
Brent, has helped to consolidate the markets in their upward movement" details the latest report from the
BRVM.
“Upon arrival, the international stock exchanges generally recorded performances
satisfactory over the week. While the European and Asian indices showed some hesitation, the
U.S. and African markets, meanwhile, made solid gains, despite employment numbers
disastrous in the United States”. This situation is explained according to the Regional Stock Exchange, by the fact that investors preferred to concentrate on the announcement of positive results on the trials of a treatment with
Covid-19, which reinforces the prospect of an end to the crisis soon.
In the Uemoa zone, preparations are also being made for a relaxation of the emergency measures put in
place to fight the spread of Covid-19. Thus, in Côte d'Ivoire, the President of the Republic has, at
during a speech to the nation, drew a phased exit strategy. Burkina Faso carried out a
gradual easing of restrictive measures and has, in a presidential decree published on Monday, lifted the
quarantine of cities with at least one case of Covid-19.

Mobilized financial markets
It must be said that the financial markets are very much in demand during this period, particularly in the structuring
of operations capable of financing the response plans put in place to minimize the economic impact and
social of the pandemic. In the region, the WAEMU States have set up a program to issue
public securities or rather “Covid-19 social bonds” of 846 billion CFA francs since April 27
last. Thus, Senegal and Burkina Faso raised respectively 103 and 80 billion FCFA, following
not to Côte d'Ivoire which had collected 180 billion CFA francs.
Central banks are also active. The BCEAO has taken steps to stimulate the participation of
institutional investors to issues of public and private securities. As for financial institutions
regional, they are not left out. They also very quickly set up funds
to contain the impact of the crisis: the AfDB has mobilized social bonds to the tune of 3
billions of dollars on the international financial markets, a record for bonds
social. The operation was a huge success with subscription intentions exceeding more than once and
half the mobilization target, and that, in record time.