Author: Ibrahima jr Dia

The old debate on the CFA franc never ceases to make headlines. On the side of technicians and politicians, the subject is at the center of the debate and opinions, more than ever, are irreconcilable. After the exit of former Togolese Minister of Foresight and Public Policy Evaluation, Kako Nubukpo, known for his slayer positions, it is the turn of the Vice Governor of the Central Bank of the States of Africa from the West (BCEAO), Abdoulaye Diop get out of his hinges. For him, the CFA franc is subject to subjective attacks that are not based on any scientific…

The Central Bank of Mauritania (BCM) officially launched Thursday, January 24, a contest called “FinTech Challenge”. It was in partnership with the players in finance including banks and economic operators, all determined to modernize the country’s banking system. Indeed, the institution intends to make digitization of payment methods and Fichtech, essential levers to develop the financial sector. And as a result, ensure greater financial inclusion. Its initiative also aims to create a real platform for exchange between banks, financial institutions, companies, telecom operators, and entrepreneurs in order to benefit from the advantages of the new technology. For this edition, the…

The Talents Consulting management consulting firm opened a seminar in Dakar on Thursday, January 17, focusing on the theme: “how to identify the levers of performance through a global approach”. According to the organizers, the general objective of this meeting organized in collaboration with certain financial institutions is to popularize methods to ensure a better performance, competitiveness of companies, but also administrations. The meeting ends this Friday and brings together the digital players, including banks, training schools, finance platforms and experts and consultants who address the issues, challenges and prospects of the new global requirement. Activities include upgrading training workshops…

Crowdfunding can play an important role in reducing the financing needs of African SMEs, estimated at $ 331 billion, far more than the capacity of conventional finance. This is one of the main lessons of the crowdfunding forum held in Dakar on Thursday, November 15, 2018, in the presence of national and international financial players. The founder of Afrikwity & Cofundy and co-chairman of the FPAM network, Thameur Hemdane, based on statistics, showed the financing limit of the banking system in the continent. According to the co-organizer of the Forum, “only 20% of SMEs have access to bank financing and…

Some 200 participants from Africa and Europe, bringing together experts, lawyers, market regulators, bankers, financiers, entrepreneurs, business leaders …. , met on Thursday, November 15 in Dakar, to discuss the practices, issues and challenges of crowdfunding and participatory finance (FP) in Africa. This forum, organized by the Association Financement Participatif Afrique & Méditerranée (FPAM) together with Jokkolabs, the French Development Agency (AFD) and the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), has the main theme: “innovation financial support for development “. The forum tackled the issues and challenges of crowdfunding in Africa. According to the various stakeholders, these are innovative financing…

The National Industrial and Mining Company (SNIM) of Mauritania has a new boss. This is Hassena Ould Ely, a technocrat who acquired his nobility by putting into orbit, a few years ago, the success story Mauritania Airlines. This framework, in fact, directed the national airline Mauritanie Airlines (MAI) from its creation date until the beginning of the year 2015. It then passed through the Mauritanian Gas Company (SOMAGAZ) – another company with public capital – for a few months, before coming to the controls of the Autonomous Port of Nouakchott in January 2016. Hassena Ould Ely who was also Minister…

What about the “Compact With Africa” ​​program pompously called the German Marshall Plan for Africa? The copy is certainly to be reviewed in view of the monstrous envelope of 60 billion dollars that Chinea proposed to its African partners about two months ago. The German replica, in the form of 1 billion euros, intended to support the financing of SMEs in Africa, does not weigh heavily on paper. Recall the context. On the sidelines of the “G20 Compact with Africa” ​​summit, held in Berlin on Tuesday 30 October, the Goethe country made the commitment to boost its volume of investments…

The Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) is holding its 33rd session from 30 October to 2 November 2018 in Tunis, during which participants will examine the structural development of North Africa and the entire continent. Focusing on the theme of “the data revolution in North Africa to put data at the service of structural transformation”, the meeting will also enable stakeholders to address other development issues. They will essentially discuss the data revolution (big data, digital, etc.) so that they can help make the right public policy decisions. The main objective of this initiative, in line with the United Nations…

The signals are still red for the debt level of Mauritania. According to the latest estimates of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, published earlier this week, the debt ratio has approached 97.51% of GDP this year, against 96.75% previously. This situation is due essentially to the chronic depreciation of ouguiya, the local currency, on the foreign exchange market but also to the excessive use of external borrowing for public investments. The “debt syndrome” dates back to 2014 when Mauritania faced a drop in commodity prices on the world market, particularly iron, representing 1/3 of the national…

The Danish company Mærsk has made $ 30 million available to strengthen logistical infrastructure in the Nouadhibou Free Zone (ZFN) by the end of 2018. Indeed, a financing agreement was signed Thursday, September 27 in Nouakchott by the president of the institution, Mr. Mohamed Ould Daf and the director of development and projects group, Mark Kebres. Under the terms of the agreement, “the specialized structure for shipping and logistics is committed to building and equipping large scale cooling warehouses on the Nouadhibou independent port platform, which will provide storage and unloading services. high capacity for surface fish “. The company…

Mauritania’s telephony market is expected to be enriched by a fourth operator by the end of 2018, sources close to telecommunications services said on Thursday (September 27th). Indeed, a group of Mauritanian businessmen is ready to mobilize the necessary capital for the acquisition of this new mobile operator. For the moment no call for tenders has been launched. But investors plan to commission the next network after performing the technical and administrative procedures. A challenge that will not be an easy task considering the complexity of the telecommunications sector in Mauritania. For several years, the 3 traditional operators (Mauritel, Mattel,…

After an absence of more than 10 years at the International Exhibition of Tourism and Travel in Paris, Mauritania has returned again to “woo” investors in the tourism sector. Indeed, the country has decided to participate in this event this year (from 25 to 28 September) to revive its tourism, which is long sought. This exhibition, the fortieth edition of the genre will allow the Mauritanian and French side to address the tourist season 2018/2019, but also the launch of a series of tourist flights between Paris and Nouakchott, October 20. According to statistics, the resumption of charter flights, particularly…

After careful consideration, Mauritania finally said yes to the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). Indeed, the Mauritanian authorities signed this convention with the European Union this weekend in Brussels. The main objective of this agreement is to boost trade between Europe and Africa by promoting exports of products in both markets. This is to develop trade and promote economic integration between the two regions to better participate in international trade. Mauritania becomes the 15th country in West Africa to endorse this document. For the moment, only Nigeria is missing for the text to be ratified. The EPAs that divide the continent’s…

Professor Makhtar Diouf denounced Tuesday, August 1st in Dakar, protectionist practices implemented by developed countries to distort the terms of international trade. In a context of globalization and “trade war”, Africa must use “economic nationalism” to avoid marginalization and be the eternal supplier of raw materials, he said. In a statement published on the sidelines of the program day of the Economic and Monetary Research Laboratory (LAREM), held on July 31 in Dakar and whose theme is “cross-views on the Senegalese economy,” Samir Amine’s disciple largely reverted to the concepts of globalization, economic nationalism and new measures of developed countries…

After a week of bitter negotiations at the National Committee for International Trade Negotiations (CNNCI), industry players gathered on Tuesday (July 24th) to evaluate the first phase of the negotiations for the African Free Trade Area (ACFTA). The foundation has focused on rules of origin (RO) and trade in services. The aim was to take stock of the work already done on RO and trade in services, but also to address the outstanding issues on the products still to be liberalized. On this occasion, the Senegalese Minister of Commerce, Alioune Sarr, said that “this meeting which is part of the…

Senegal’s director of foreign trade, Fallou Mbow Fall, said the rules of origin (RO) established in the African Continental Free Trade Area (ZLECAF) are a real boon for the industrial and agricultural development of member countries. This, thanks to its formulations that can inform on the tendency of the region to develop the agricultural and industrial sectors. This announcement was made Tuesday, July 17 in Dakar, on the sidelines of the national consultations on goods and services to be liberalized in this area of ​​free economic exchange. The director said that the RO will also contribute significantly to the development…

After the time of the politicians, here comes the experts. For 4 days, (from July 17 to 20), Senegalese trade actors, bringing together economic operators, businesses, the private sector, employers and customs officers will discuss the technical aspects of product liberalization in the context of trade. African Continental Free Trade Area. Emphasis will be on rules of origin (RO) and trade in services. The objective of this meeting is to involve all the actors of the trade in order to better defend the interests of Senegal in this process of liberalization. On the first day, the Secretary General of the…

A few weeks before the summit of the African Union that it will organize (end of June, beginning of July), Mauritania has just carried out a mini cabinet reshuffle in Isselkou ould Ahmed Izidbih.

The countries of the African Continental Free Trade Area (ZLECAF) are determined to establish an economic free trade area, while applying a dose of protectionism. In the principle of the treaty signed in Kigali last March, member countries will open up to 90% on certain products (over a period of 5 years for developing countries and 10 years for LDCs). And the remaining 10% will be excluded from liberalization. On the sidelines of the meeting of African Ministers of Justice, held Friday, June 8 in Dakar, some specialists have returned to this release of goods and services. Thus, the 10%…

The minimum capital of Mauritanian banks will be raised by 57% by 2020 according to a correspondence from the governor of the Mauritanian Central Bank (BCM) to the association of Mauritanian banks. Specifically, the minimum capital will increase from 7 billion Ouguiyas in 2018 to 11 billion dollars in 2020, or 30 million dollars. The main objective of the decision is to strengthen the soundness of the Mauritanian banking system, which has some 20 institutions. On the other hand, no change will be made to the mandatory reserve ratio and the key rate applied by the Central Bank. Recall that…

The curtains fell on the first edition of the CyFy Africa 2018 congress, which took place from 10 to 12 May in Tangiers (Morocco). This international meeting allowed entrepreneurs, decision-makers, investors, operators and researchers to reach consensus on innovation and technology in Africa. Indeed, according to participants, the black continent must ensure its digital integration, create an overall synergy to lead reflections in this direction and take advantage of the digital market to generate growth points. After intense and fruitful debates through series of panels the actors were unanimous, this initiative of CyFy Africa must be perpetuated to widen the…

From our special correspondent in Tangier, Dia Ibrahima Junior Africa intends to seize the opportunities offered by new technologies to ensure a real transformation and social evolution (health, education ….). This is the watchword launched by the organizers of the CyFy Africa 2018 platform. In a press briefing held Thursday (May 9th) in tangier (Morocco) as a prelude to the official opening of the CyFy Africa 2018 congress, the actors unveiled their roadmap to succeed in this bet. The initiators of this conference will be inspired by the Indian model, which constitutes a world reference in terms of technological innovation…

GroFin, which specializes in financing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), is determined to bring its innovation to solve the problem of financing these economic units in Senegal. The structure intends to put in place a real roadmap, focused on a financial, strategic and short-term portfolio management plan, to meet the financing challenge for SMEs / SMIs. On the sidelines of the official launch of the company’s activities in Senegal, Thursday, May 3 in Dakar, the director of investments of GroFin, Djibril Maguette Mbengue, has unveiled the plan of action of the establishment which is at its second office in Dakar.…

Tangier will be the point of convergence for entrepreneurs, investors, public decision-makers, innovators as well as civil society actors. A congress dedicated to innovation and technology will be held from 10 to 12 May in this Moroccan city, located 14 kilometers from Europe, symbolizing the link between Africa and the old continent. During these 3 days, this platform (CyFyAfrica 2018) will allow to discuss new emerging technologies, which are essential production factors to increase the competitiveness of African companies. This conference, co-organized by the Ministry of Industry, Investment, Trade and Digital Economy of Morocco, in partnership with the Foundation of…

ATTIJARI Bank Mauritania, a subsidiary of the Attijariwafa bank group, has launched its first digital bank called Attijari Mobile. In a statement, published Monday, April 30, the institution said that this initiative is part of innovations and diversifications of banking products in the Mauritanian market. Thus, the document reveals that from now on, customers will be able to use their smartphone, tablet or computer to carry out banking transactions. According to the same source, “Attijari Mobile will allow a simplified and secure way to make any type of transfer, establish signatory and signature matrix profiles, make term deposits, consult his…

The pan-African investment company, M & A Capital, in partnership with the Agency for Development and Supervision of Small and Medium Enterprises, launched on Wednesday, April 25, in Dakar, a project “reserve factoring” or “reverse factoring”, through a joint venture called M & A Fintech. This initiative responds to the desire to provide an alternative to the traditional mode of financing of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Small and medium industries (PMI), very small businesses (TPE) and very small industry (TPI). The main objective of this project is to strengthen the financing capacity of these structures on the Senegalese economy…

Contrary to what is reported by several sources including ours, the British Petroleum (BP) oil company did not sell its gas blocks in Mauritania to Total. On the contrary, the British group has just reinforced its presence on the block of the large turtle / Ahmedine gas field, located 125 kilometers off the coasts of Mauritania and Senegal. Many observers had reported last week that the move of Total’s CEO to Nouadhibou, the economic capital of the country where he met with the Mauritanian head of state was the sign of negotiations for the purchase of BP blocks. In fact,…

The British giant, British Petroleum (BP) has acquired a platform for production, storage and offloading (FPSO) from the company TechnipFMC, reported Monday, April 16. The purchase of this FPSO unit is part of the gas exploitation of block C 8, located off the coast of Mauritania and Senegal. This acquisition comes in a context where a probable sale of BP’s shares on this site has been widely mentioned by the local Mauritanian press. It should be noted that the TechnipFMC company, whose French government owns 4% of shares, was created in 2017. The structure is the result of the merger…

OMVS: the navigability of the Senegal River within reach The Organization for the Development of the Senegal River (OMVS) intends to mobilize an overall amount of $ 138.525 million for the start of the work of the Integrated Multimodal Transport System (SITRAM) project, planned for this year. On the sidelines of the celebration of the 6th session of the international association Initiatives for the Future of Great Rivers (Iagf), the authorities of the institution unveiled the stage of evolution of this project, which constitutes the one of the flagship components of the subregional organization’s development program. Thus, the officials also…

Mauritanian Sidi Ould Tah has been re-elected head of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA). It was on the sidelines of the 43rd session of the institution (from 10 to 11 April in Jordan) that the members of the Board of Governors renewed their confidence in the former Mauritanian Minister of Economy and Finance. For a new mandate of 3 years, renewable, Sidi Ould Tah will have to sustain the achievements of BADEA which committed in late March to finance about 653 projects, amounting to 5824.768 million dollars. It should be noted that BADEA has set itself…