Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara officially installed this April 13 the National Council of Economic Policy (CNPE), a body of “strategic analysis and economic intelligence” which is directly attached to the presidency of the Republic.
Announced at the beginning of the year, the CNPE is an “important instrument for governance” by which the country intends to be “the main actor of its development” said the Ivorian president. Its mission will be, in synergy with the government, to “identify and propose solutions to major national and international economic challenges” facing the country and decide “medium and long-term strategic directions” to enable it to meet “the challenges”. tomorrow’s challenges “.
The idea is to overcome “the insufficiency of centers of economic and social research (…) performing in our states, (which) reduces our capacity for anticipation, strategic analysis and sometimes the relevance of some of our decisions” said the Ivorian head of state.
From about 25 million, the Ivorian population will double by 2050 “to 50 million inhabitants with more than 70% of young people under 35 years” noted Alassane Ouattara. A fact that must be anticipated in terms of education, training, jobs. There are also the issues related to climate change and its effects on living conditions, agriculture, urbanization, but also issues related to the diversification of the economy, business climate or mobilization. funding, etc., which will be at the center of the work of the CNPE.
Conquer markets and prepare future generations
For Alassane Ouattara, the real battle is economic development to create enough jobs and improve the living conditions and well-being of the population, which requires a more dynamic economy, better integrated into the global economy. “Our efforts, he notes, will have to be directed towards conquering sub regional and global markets, overcoming our internal differences, fighting against our inertia and the obstacles to the reforms needed to increase and strengthen our comparative advantages and our competitiveness. “.
“After the economic performances we have achieved together, we must redouble our efforts, self-sacrifice and sacrifices to prepare our future generations to fight with the great nations of the world on an equal footing.
This will then ensure our march towards a better tomorrow for all. We have the potential, we have the capacity, we must now have the collective political and social will. ”
Use “the best skills in the world”
Chaired by Vice President Kablan Duncan, who is assisted by Prime Minister Gon Coulibaly, the CNPE, whose executive secretary is former Minister and current Secretary General of the Presidency, Patrick Achi, will seek the “best skills in the world” , particularly Ivorian “to” animate and advise our strategic choices of economic policy. ” He will also have close relations with the private sector, which will be “associated” with his work.
