Success story
Over the past five years, Cote d’Ivoire has emerged as one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most notable success stories. Since the installation of Alassane Ouattara as president in 2011 the country has bounced back from civil war and recession to post some of the continent’s best growth rates. Policymakers’ commitment to infrastructure development has been a key component of this recovery. Already a series of major road developments has slashed transit times both within and between the largest cities while an upgrade to the national grid has prevented power outages. The government’s latest five year strategy, initiated in January, is even more ambitious. The 2016-2020 Plan National de Développement (PND) covers projects valued at nearly $50bn across sectors including transportation, energy, water and telecoms. Flagship initiatives include new container terminals at Cote d’Ivoire’s main ports, Abidjan and San Pedro, as well as a 1,000km railway link to the Malian capital, Bamako. Part of the funding for these developments will come from multilateral banks, which have rushed to support Cote d’Ivoire’s recovery — however, policymakers are also targeting significant input from the private sector. The PND includes plans for 94 public-private partnerships, which are expected to attract considerable interest from foreign investors keen to gain exposure to an economy where growth rates are forecast to top 7% until at least the end of the decade.