Ivorian economic growth estimated at 7.2% for the year 2020 could
be halved and reach 3.6%, assuming that Coronavirus (Covid-19) is under control by the end of June
2020, Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly said in a statement on Tuesday.
“According to current data, economic growth (in Côte d'Ivoire) estimated at 7.2% for the year
2020 would be halved and would reach 3.6%, assuming the pandemic was under control by the end of June
2020,” said Mr. Gon Coulibaly.
Mr. Gon Coulibaly noted that “Africa, for its part, would know, based on provisional data
available, a reduction in its growth at the continental level from 3.2 per cent to 1.8 per cent, while at the level
worldwide, a recession is projected.”
The impact of the health crisis linked to Covid-19 is already noticeable on the Ivorian economy, which is experiencing a
decline in activity. To prevent the spread of the pandemic, the government decided to close
restaurants, nightclubs, bars and even forbids access to beaches.
“Many key sectors of our economy are affected, including exports in particular.
agriculture, imports, construction, tourism, commerce, hotels, restaurants and transport”, a
announced the head of the Ivorian government.
Socio-economic populations are severely affected by the restrictive measures linked to the
pandemic. Therefore, the government decided to set up a fund to support the sector
private for an amount of 250 billion CFA francs.
The Ivorian Prime Minister noted that this fund to support the private sector takes into account the strengthening
support for SMEs for at least 100 billion FCFA and the establishment of guarantee funds, in order to
to have a leverage effect on access to credit.
A plan to mitigate the impact of the health crisis also indicates the establishment of a specific fund
to support businesses in the informal sector affected by the crisis in the amount of 100 billion CFA francs.
“This measure will be sustainable after the crisis with simple taxation and innovative methods of
financing”, he continued, before announcing support for the main sectors of the national economy,
including cashew, cotton, rubber, oil palm, cocoa, coffee, for an amount of 250
billions of FCFA.
He also announced support for food, vegetable and fruit production in the amount of $50 billion.
of CFA francs, including 20 billion in inputs. The government also intends to continue the dialogue.
with the main economic actors.
Ivorian Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly plans to meet with actors in the border fields
farmers, cooperatives and civil society organizations, in order to improve as quickly as possible
possible economic recovery under the best conditions of success.
With 11 new confirmed cases as of March 31, 2020, Côte d'Ivoire registered 179 infected people
to Covid-19, seven of whom were cured and one death. To break the chain of contamination, the authorities decided to break the chain
of the isolation of Greater Abidjan from the cities of the interior of the country since Sunday at midnight.