Ivorian Prime Minister Robert Mambé and African Development Bank (AfDB) Group President Sidi Ould Tah have called on Africa’s private sector to take a central role in the continent’s economic transformation, framing global trade disruptions as an opportunity to build resilience and strengthen regional value chains.
The two leaders delivered their remarks at the opening of the 13th edition of the Confédération Générale des Entreprises de Côte d’Ivoire (CGECI) Academy, the flagship annual forum of Côte d’Ivoire’s employers federation, held under the theme “Economic sovereignty: Time for Action.” The two-day event convened senior government officials, business leaders, and representatives of regional employers’ organisations.
“The time for self-analysis is over; it’s now time for action!” Prime Minister Mambé said. “We must become aware of our strengths, our weaknesses and our untapped potential, and most importantly, we must establish a synthesis that consolidates our achievements for new prospects that are based on intelligent and dynamic partnerships.”
He underscored that achieving economic sovereignty would require coordinated contributions from government, private investors, young entrepreneurs, and consumers.
Dr Ould Tah reinforced this message, urging African businesses to seize the moment created by geopolitical and trade tensions. “For Africa, this is not a threat; it is a historic opportunity to establish a stronger, more integrated and more resilient local economy,” he said.
The AfDB President, who took office on September 1, outlined his four-pillar strategy for Africa’s development: mobilising large-scale capital, reforming the continent’s financial architecture, accelerating the creation of quality jobs, and building climate-resilient infrastructure through green industrialisation.
“They will also come from the African private sector, which must be central to the strategy,” he added, calling on entrepreneurs to innovate and capture a larger share of global markets.
The CGECI Academy, which comes amid rising protectionist policies and geopolitical strains, is seen by African leaders as a key platform to advance intra-African trade and reduce reliance on external markets.
Ahmed Cissé, president of CGECI, pledged the private sector’s backing for continental initiatives to strengthen economic sovereignty, including partnerships with the AfDB. The employers’ federation, which represents nearly 80 percent of Côte d’Ivoire’s private companies, has long collaborated with the Bank to promote youth entrepreneurship.
Their joint initiative, La finance s’engage (Finance Commits), has mobilised resources for hundreds of start-ups since 2016, including a €1.108 million project that has supported 200 young entrepreneurs, nearly a third of them women.
