The total contribution of the digital economy in Côte d’Ivoire might amount to more than 20 billion dollars by 2050, or 10% of GDP, indicates the 12th report of the World Bank on the economic situation of the country. Entitled “the digital sector vector of an emerging economy”, this document was presented this Wednesday, June 1 by its author, Hermann Djedje Yohou, economist at the bank.
The author acknowledges the efforts made by the Ivorian government which resulted in growth of 7% in 2021, but inflation reached a level of 4.5%. This growth might still increase with an additional instrument which is digital. “The digital economy offers the country immense potential to strengthen the resilience of growth and the reduction of poverty”, indicates the report which certifies that currently, the sector has generated 3,000 direct jobs and 5.5 billion dollars as total contribution to the economy equivalent to 3% of GDP.
Faced with an improvement in the terms of trade leading to a healthy result of the trade surplus, the volume of imports grew faster than the volume of exports, accentuated by the rise in the price of oil. “The increase in imports is mainly driven by capital goods, for investment needs, and by consumer goods… The BCEAO’s external reserves have reached comfortable levels thanks to strong capital inflows”, comments Hermann Djedje Yohou.
The Ivorian Minister of Economy and Finance, Adama Coulibaly, took good note of this report while congratulating the Bretton Wood institution for the quality of the document. Several points of view converge, he said. But he wanted to reaffirm the work started by the government in reducing the poverty rate which, he says, has fallen from 52% in 2012 to 39% currently.
According to the minister, the objective is to achieve a poverty rate of 20% by 2030 with the new development program “vision 2030”. Recalling, with the consent of the Minister of Digital Economy and Communication, Amadou Coulibaly, the digital plan of Côte d’Ivoire for the next few years. Namely, among others, strengthening digital infrastructure networks, improving interoperability and access and quality of digital financial services, supporting and strengthening the ecosystem of entrepreneurship.
