After a year of practice, the Office of the Burkina Faso Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI-BF) organized a press conference on Friday, February 16, 2018. On this occasion, we discussed, with the Director General Issaka Kargougou, the prospects of the institution and its expectations for the 5th West African Business Development Forum, AFRICALLIA.
Interview by Ibrahima Sanou from Ouagadougou
What is your assessment of the first year of the team of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Burkina Faso (CCI-BF) led by Mahamadi Savadogo?
During year 2017, several actions were undertaken. In terms of business services, the Burkina Faso Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI-BF) handled 5,611,294 tons of goods and created 12,619 new businesses. We also issued 85,393 import and export documents on our SOGESY platform and provided 5,511 national and international tender notices. We also opened 2 new formalities centers in Koupéla and Banfora (2 cities in the country) and a negotiation with the World Bank allowed us to obtain the amount of CFA 600 million for capacity building of pastoralist stakeholders in the Sahel. In terms of vocational training, the CCI-BF opened four new sectors (tiles, paint, masonry, plaster, staff); 33 new literacy centers with 1,200 learners, including 900 traders from the informal sector. 37 driving instructors, 100 customs and transit registrants were also trained. 141 students from the Higher Institute of Electrical Engineering graduated from the end of training and 13,289 others were trained on techniques to participate in public procurement, taxation, accounting and fundraising. With respect to our programmed strategic area, we were generally at 74% of physical achievement rate during the year 2017 though the mandate plan was adopted late. Moreover, the overall physical implementation rate of the action plan for the 2016-2021 term is 47% compared to the forecast.
What are your priorities for the coming years?
For the remainder of our term, which ends in 2021, we are planning the extension of the Bobo Dioulasso dry port for a total cost of CFA 16 billion, the construction of the Ouagadougou multimodal dry port for CFA 25 billion, the construction of a large parking for larger ships in Cotonou at a cost of CFA 2 107 million and the celebration of 70 years of CCI-BF. We are also planning to launch the construction work of the CCI-BF’s national headquarters for CFA 4 billion and the construction of the headquarters of the CCI-BF representation to Lomé, Togo for CFA 503 million. We have just launched the Call Center for Entrepreneur Concerns (CAPE) which will allow them, starting this year, to express their concerns and have solutions.
What do you expect from the Government to improve the business environment in a context of security challenges?
In a country, improving the business environment is a constant effort. We can never say that we have finished improving. In the World Bank Group’s Doing business 2018 ranking, Burkina Faso dropped from 146th to 148th out of 190 countries. That is why the president of the CCI-BF met the president of the National Assembly to make an assessment of all the texts governing the business environment in our country to find out the various weak points and improve them.
What are your expectations for the 5th Africallia forum to be held from February 21st to 23rd in Ouagadougou?
AFRICALLIA aimed to bring together more than 400 business leaders but we will host a total of three days in Ouagadougou for 660 participants representing 508 companies from 19 countries in Africa, America, Asia and Europe. Burkina Faso, the host country, is represented by 280 men and women. The three largest delegations include the Republic of China Taiwan with 39 participants, France with 33 participants and Tunisia with 28 participants. The largest West African delegation is the Ivory Coast with 23 participants. This country will organize the next Forum in 2020. The Forum will provide opportunities for companies in the sub-region to establish partnerships with each other and with their counterparts from around the world.
Interview by Ibrahima Sanou from Ouagadougou
