Kissy Agyeman-Togobo
'Restoration' appears to be the leitmotiv of the administration under former deputy managing director of the
The popular uprising in the west African nation, following the presidential election results disputed by former president Laurent Gbagbo in
The interplay between politics and economics was visible in Côte d'Ivoire in the months following the election result announcement in
Ouattara has taken over as president with a titanic task ahead of him, but so far, the man credited with strong economic management credentials has hit the ground running. Known to be punctual, he demands the very same from his ministers. Some insiders have reportedly described the shake up as no less than shock therapy. Indeed, all ministers will be subject to a grading system every three months. Time is of the essence and the central objective of the new dispensation is to normalise the socio-political environment and to kick-start the economy. According to the official forecasts by the ministry headed by the internationally lauded finance minister,
The 2011 budget is premised on the notion of economic recovery, covering the period from
But whether the government will manage to narrow the gap between revenue and expenditure, much through bilateral official and private external financing, is somewhat dubious, given the current crisis in the Eurozone and the priorities of traditional donor nations elsewhere. However, the implementation of an economic framework to transition the Ivorian economy from recovery to sustained growth as agreed with the IMF in August/September this year could see IMF support amounting to
Prior to the most recent Ivorian crisis, for the majority of businesses questioned through the
But liberal democracy is more than the holding of elections; a secure environment where institutions can be left to carry out their tasks of regulating and carrying out checks and balances is primordial. The issue of military integration under a single command is a very real threat to cohesion and stability. Informal systems and structures which were in place during the crisis have not been fully dissolved, with ex-rebel warlords ('Com Zone Commanders') still reportedly extorting money from within
Tackling unemployment is crucial in the fight to keep Côte d'Ivoire secure and to prevent the youth from backsliding into militia movements. The government has put aside
The contraction of the Ivorian economy in 2011 has been a rude awakening for a country clamouring to reposition itself as an economic power of
(Kissy Agyeman-Togobo is Partner and Co-Founder of
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