Transport

In the decades following independence in 1960, Côte d’Ivoire led West Africa in terms of transport infrastructure. Today, although several years of civil unrest have taken their toll, it still has one of the largest road networks in the region, as well as relatively competitive aviation and maritime port infrastructure. As the government pushes to attain emerging country status by 2020, the nation’s transport networks are set for a boost in public funding: out of the CFA11trn (€16.5bn) budgeted in the 2012-15 National Development Plan, the state has allocated 25.5% to projects in transport infrastructure. Côte d’Ivoire’s reinvestment in its long-neglected transport infrastructure comes just in time to keep pace with the demands of a growing population and an expanding economy. Sustaining the funding levels needed to maintain these networks will pose challenges, but strong investment from the private sector and a high level of public-private collaboration bode well for the sector.

This chapter contains interviews with Dominique Lafont, CEO, Bolloré Africa Logistics; and Gervais Koffi Djondo, Chairman, Asky.