The law BILE-AKA lawyers BRIZOUA-BI & Associés, the General Confederation of Enterprises of Côte d’Ivoire (CGECI) and the private security company G4S Ivory Coast, gathered this Thursday, July 9, 2015 to House Company in Plateau (Abidjan), to reflect on the security of investments for the next election.
This forum for exchange which revolved around the theme « Security of Private Investments: Issues in Election period » saw the participation of several panelists.
According to the Vice-President of the CGECI, Kouassi Kongo, during the post-election crisis that are 238 companies and three professional groups that have suffered loss and damage. The figure is 568 billion FCFA of which CFAF 200 billion of damage, which have not been the subject of compensation. There is also more job losses.
The private sector recommended for securing investment, several actions; among others, securing production sites, preventive measures to reassure economic operators and the establishment of mechanisms to support businesses affected by the crisis.
The General Manager of G4S, Serge Kouakou, has meanwhile called on all economic operators to entrust the security professionals, but also to recommend to the public not to panic and not not rely on rumors, at election time.
Speaking for the government, the General Secretary of the National Security Council (NSC), Mr. Alain Donwahi, reassured the private sector and the population, on the steps taken by the Ivorian government. He explained that there are 108 established and 34 reforms and urgent measures with deadlines in the short, medium and long term, implementation of courses by the state. One of the reforms in the security sector, is the Reform of the security sector (SSR) in the fields of military, post-crisis reconstruction, justice and economic governance (transportation, energy , health, etc.).
Mr. Donwahi also recommended for peaceful elections, sensitization of the population and especially the involvement of the media, as actors of peace and reconciliation. He did not fail to show the efforts made by the State during the two years that have allowed Ivory Coast to become the leading country in the subregion.
Other panel members including the President of the Education Commission of the European Chamber & Training, Thierry Colatrella and the Director General of CEPICI (Investment Promotion Centre in Côte d’Ivoire), Esmel Essis, also contributed to the business environment in Côte d’Ivoire, which has improved over the past two years. They explained this by the results of Doing Business and the many investors who create businesses. The there is a financial sector that is growing and a dynamic and competitive private sector.
After over a decade of crisis, the Ivorian economy is poised to achieve its economic take-off with the introduction of the new economic strategy outlined in the National Development Plan (NDP) 2012-2015 with the objective of make the Ivory Coast an emerging country by 2020.
This ambition requires the implementation of an investment program around powerful growth drivers capable of driving a strong growth momentum, supported, secured and job creation, and environmentally.
To achieve these objectives, the Government has made the investment a lever for economic recovery. Thus, public investment from 2.8% of GDP in 2011 to 9.7% in 2015 and private investment would increase from 5.4% of GDP in 2011 to 13.7% in 2015.
Measures are in place to create not only one of the best business climates in Africa but also to promote public-private partnerships. The main actions relate to areas related to remediation of the macroeconomic framework and public finance, strengthening governance and improving the business climate through reassuringly safe environment.
The next presidential election announced for the month of October 2015 inevitably constitutes as in previous election years, a source of serious concern for economic operators and especially for the safety of their investments.
Indeed, the experience of previous years shows that they were accompanied by outbursts and even violence; all of which could contribute to the loss or partial or total cessation of economic activities.
Aware of the issues that is of this year to customers, partners and members and the business world in general, the Avocats BILE-AKA, BRIZOUA-BI & Associates, the company G4S and CGECI Coast Ivory had the vision to organize this panel.
