Côte d'Ivoire is taking a decisive step towards its industrialization. Indeed, it was before the members of the Economic, Social, Environmental and Cultural Council (CESEC), meeting in Abidjan, that the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Crafts, Ibrahim Kalil Konaté, outlined, during a conference on the theme “Contribution of industrialization to the dynamics of the Greater Ivory Coast”, the outlines of this national-scale industrial strategy.

The stated objective is clear, it is about accelerating the local processing of raw materials, generating added value and creating sustainable jobs. “We must achieve the second and third transformation in order to create more wealth and jobs for our populations,” insisted the Minister. An ambition which is in line with the industrial development policies recommended by international organizations, which see SEZs as an effective lever for building “islands of competitiveness” in developing economies. The agricultural dimension of the project is particularly structuring, by targeting the 31 regions of the country to establish industrial zones dedicated to agro-industry, the government intends to reduce the export of raw raw materials (cocoa, coffee, cashew nuts, rubber) in favor of a more integrated local value chain.

Let us remember that behind this announcement is taking shape strong political will. “The President of the Republic wants us to move from an agricultural economy to an industrialized economy,” recalled the Minister. A structural transformation that many economic experts consider essential for African countries to capture more revenue from their natural resources.