Côte d’Ivoire in West Africa, with a population of around 24 Million, is smaller in size and population than a district in India. This tiny country, endowed with rich natural resources and an indomitable determination and focus on economic development is making smart strides in various avenues. Africa 4 U caught up with Cote d Ivoire’s Ambassador to India His Excellency Sainy Tiemele and deliberated on wide ranging issues +including investment opportunities in his country, its roadmap to development, trade and investment ties with the world , and importantly its partnership with India.
H E Mr. Sainy Tiémélé has a profound knowledge about India, stretching over 10 years as diplomat in different capacities as Economic Counsellor and later as Ambassador of Côte d Ivoire to India since the 1rst November 2011.
Côte d’Ivoire has an ambitious development agenda. Healthcare, energy security, agriculture development, food processing, laying of a strong infrastructure network, development of small and mid-size enterprises etc are some of the priorities assigned. “We are wedded to usher in an inclusive society and diversified economy and determined to emerge as a major economic power in West Africa. Our rich natural resources and focus on education, skill development and most importantly to develop manufacturing and processing units that are relevant to us will help us to achieve that target,” says Ambassador.
Rich in natural resources, such as petroleum, natural gas, manganese, diamonds, iron ore, cobalt and bauxite, Cote d Ivoire is an ideal destination for manufacturing and mineral processing industries. “ We do not believe in export of these products alone. We want processing and manufacturing units to come up to provide gainful employment and also to move up in value chain. Our focus on education and skill development will enable us to create dedicated labor force for the manufacturing units that will come up in the country,” says Ambassador, adding that it needs support from countries like India to help build a string of skill development centers.
Cote d Ivoire is laying focus on digitization. Penetration of 4G is increasing rapidly. Countries like India can find innumerable business opportunities both in the software and hardware segments. “ We need more and more Indian companies to focus on our country, particularly in capacity building and training. This can be a win-win situation. In the coming years, my country will make definite strides in the digital field and new and innovative business opportunities will emerge and India will have a first mover advantage if it invests now,’” he avers.
Will there be any language problem? “Not exactly, though we are predominantly a French speaking nation, a good proportion of people speak English and a lot more people have good working knowledge in English. Things are fast changing now,” explains Ambassador, while exhorting more Indian companies to invest in the ICT sector there.
Ambassador is candid about how to gainfully use the line credit and Buyer’s Credit extended by India to his country. Five Indian Companies have been short listed for undertaking technical and architectural studies for building a Military Hospital under LOC. Based on the technical studies, tender will be floated in due course.
Cote d’ Ivoiro is rich in tropical agricultural products, such as cocoa, coffee, banana, palm kernels, corn rice, tapioca etc. Significantly, Cote d’Ivoire is the largest exporter of cashew nuts to India and the cashew processing centers spread across Kerala mainly depends on raw cashew imported. Cashew Export Promotion Council recently invited Ambassadors of Cashew growing African Countries to seek support for the ailing Cashew processing industry in Kerala. “I have recently visited Kerala and held discussions with the cashew processors and exporters. I assured them continued exports with certain conditions that hence forth processing centers should be set up in Cote D’IIvoire and in other African Countries to help us move up in value chain and to create gainful employment. We have received some responses and we are following them up,” he said. He added that National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) has agreed to set up a Technology center in cashew processing in his country with support of Government of India.
Stressing the need for close cooperation between India and Cote d’Ivoire, the Ambassador said that his country is a founder member of International Solar Alliance (ISA). “Our cooperation should grow both in the conventional and non-conventional areas to bring our two countries closer in economic front . Healthcare, textiles and such segments in manufacturing, which can have export prospects are areas that can be tapped for partnership between our two countries.
