COUNTRY PROFILE / FRANCE

Continent : Europe

Official name: Republic of France
Nature of regime: Semi-presidential

Head of State: Mr. Emmanuel MACRON

Area:  672,051 km²
Currency: Euro
Population: 67.7 million inhabitants

Capitals : PARIS

Main cities: Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Lille, Bordeaux Nantes, Nice...

Official languages: French

Several cooperation agreements have been signed between Cote d’Ivoire and France in various fields. These include:

Economically and financially

• Ratification of Credit Agreement No. CCI 1665 01 M in the amount of thirty million (30,000,000) Euros, or nineteen billion six hundred and seventy-eight million (19,678,000,000) of CFA francs, concluded on August 2, 2019, between the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, to finance budget support for the Education sector, December 04, 2019;
• signature of a €1.4 billion financial support agreement to complete the financing of the Abidjan metro on June 11, 2017;
• signature of six (06) cooperation agreements on July 17, 2014 on the occasion of the official visit of the French President, François HOLLANDE to Abidjan;
• the Agreement on the financing of water supply projects in the Gagnoa region amounting to 34 billion of CFA francs;
• the contract for the re-equipment of Ivorian hospitals for an amount of 8 billion of CFAF;
• the memorandum of understanding between the two (02) States for the construction of a structure costing 7.8 billion of CFAF;
• the contract between the Ivorian State and Bivac-Véritas;
• the partnership agreement between the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC) and Ivorian employers;
• the agreement to support justice under the Debt Reduction and Development Contract (C2D);
• Indeed, the first C2D contract was concluded between France and Cote d’Ivoire on December 1, 2012. Amounting to 413.25 billion of CFAF (≈€630 million), it was carried out over the period 2012-2015, at the rate of 19.7 billion of CFAF in 2012, 98.4 billion of CFAF in 2013 and 147.6 billion of CFAF each year in 2014 and 2015. The second Debt Reduction and Development Contract was signed on December 3, 2014 for an amount of 738 billion of CFAF and concerns the period 2015-2020;
• Signature on June 1, 2012 of an agreement on the cancellation of 99% of stock of debt of Cote d’Ivoire estimated at about 2,098.7 billion of CFAF. That is 2,085.3 billion CFA francs of this stock. This cancellation includes, on the one hand, the immediate cancellation of 600 billion of CFAF, and on the other hand, a gradual cancellation of 1,486 billion of CFAF by converting the service of this debt into a Debt Reduction and Development Contract (C2D). The final amount thus registered under the C2D, amounts to about 1,900 billion of CFAF;
• Signature of an Agreement on economic, monetary and financial cooperation on April 5, 1962; and since December 1959, existence of a convention on relations between the French Treasury and the Ivorian Treasury, as well as on reciprocal assistance and cooperation in the organization and functioning of the Treasury and Protocol services;
• The turnover of French companies represents 30% of GDP of Cote d’Ivoire.

At the technical level

• From December 20 to 22, 2019 visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Cote d’Ivoire and signing of 12 agreements covering several areas: political, economic and security. These include, among others, the fields of health, defense, military training with the project of the International Academy of Counter-Terrorism, and major infrastructure projects such as the future Abidjan metro designed as a response to urban mobility difficulties in Abidjan;
• Laying of the first stone of construction of the Grand Marché de Bouaké (Ivorian center) during the said visit. This market built on an area of 9 hectares, will be able to accommodate 8000 traders. The cost of the works, estimated at 60 million euros, is financed by a sovereign loan from the France, through the French Development Agency (AFD), and the duration of the work is estimated at 27 months;
• December 16, 2019: official launch of the Project to Support the Economic and Ecological Development of Rural Territories (Ecoter Project), for a total amount of 23 billion of CFAF (about €35 million) financed by the France, this project aims to contribute significantly to the promotion of local development and the reduction of poverty in the country, through the improvement of the living conditions of populations in eight targeted regions,  These include Bafing, Béré, Bounkani, Cavally, Gontougo, Guémon, Tonkpi and Worodougou. This project is part of the implementation of the 2nd Debt Reduction and Development Contract (C2D) signed between France and Cote d’Ivoire on December 3, 2014.

Military cooperation

• France and Cote d’Ivoire cooperate militarily in the fight against terrorism in West Africa. Paris supported Abidjan, for entry as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council from 2018-2019;
• in the field of defence and security, France donated equipment to the Armed Forces of Cote d’Ivoire (FACI) to the tune of 40 million of CFAF. This donation aims to strengthen the operational capacities of the Ivorian army, particularly with a view to its participation in peacekeeping operations in external theatres;
• the city of Jacqueville was chosen to host the International Counter-Terrorism Academy;
• agreement establishing the military base of the French Forces in Cote d’Ivoire.

1. Main Economic Indicators (IMF)

2. 2022 Growth Rate : 2.6%
3. GDP per capita 2022 : 42. 409 USD
4. Inflation rate 2022 : 5.9% (BM)
5. Trade balance 2022 : -47.66 billion USD
6. Human Development Index (HDI) : 0.903/ 28th out of 191 in 2021

Main trading partners

Main customers: Germany 13.7%, Italy 9.2%, United States 7.9%, Belgium 7.9%, Spain 7.6%.

Main suppliers: Germany 14.6%, Belgium 11.3%, Netherlands 8.2%, Spain 7.7%, Italy 7.4%.

The France is 6th customer and 3rd supplier of Cote d’Ivoire at the end of 2022.

D. Main Exports of Cote d’Ivoire to France: cocoa beans or processed cocoa, green coffee, fresh pineapple, rubber, bananas and petroleum products.

E.  Main Imports of France to Cote d’Ivoire : wheat, tobacco, canned meat and fish, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, iron, pig iron, steel and articles thereof, machinery, paper and paperboard, electronic and transport equipment

Sectors of economic activity (2022)

Primary sector: 1.6% of GDP Secondary sector: 16.7% of GDP Tertiary sector: 70.3% of GDP

       Sources : DGE-DPPSE

Sources : DGE-DPCEI

• The value of bilateral trade reached 1,214,200 million of CFAF in 2022 compared to 1,155,400 million of CFAF in 2021;
• Over the period 2018-2022, the average value of Ivorian exports is estimated at 410,800 million of CFAF /year against 686,000 million of CFAF /year for imports;
• Over the period 2018-2022, the trade balance is in deficit for Cote d’Ivoire.