构建西非联通之路

英文版

Construct Infrastructure Connectivity in West Africa

——Interview with H.E. Ambassador ADAMA DOSSO of Côte d’Ivoire to China

By ZhangMei   China Investment

In recent years, China has become the largest source of financing for Côte d’Ivoire, surpassing the traditional sources of financing in Côte d’Ivoire. The vast majority of large infrastructure projects in Côte d’Ivoire, such as hydropower stations, port expansion projects, power grid development and renovation projects, undertaken by Chinese-funded enterprises have played a significant role in the economic development of Côte d’Ivoire in recent years.

On April 22, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank announced that the AIIB Board of Directors has approved Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Tunisia and Uruguay as a new member. To this end, in early August, the Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire to China, ADama DOSSO, elaborated on the great potential and business opportunities of cooperation between the two countries during the interview with the reporter of China Investment.

China Investment: At present the construction of infrastructure in Côte d’Ivoire. What are the key development areas?

ADAMA DOSSO: The key development area for construction of infrastructure in Côte d’Ivoire are:

a.Construction of schools and public universities; b.Construction of factories for the processing of agricultural raw materials; c.Construction of infrastructures like roads, and extension of airports and harbor; d.Construction of hydropower dams, gas fuelled thermal power plants and renewable energy sources.

China Investment: Why did CI join the AIIB?  What do you hope to achieve? In which specific areas or projects do you want to be supported?

ADAMA DOSSO:  Côte d’Ivoire joined the AIIB, because since the 30th of august 2018, the country signed the memorandum of One Belt One Road.  
AIIB is also now one of the most important bank in the world.

Côte d’Ivoire want to work together with all the members of AIIB to implement the BRI created by His Excellency President XI Jinping.

By being a member of AIIB, Côte d’Ivoire can benefit from the financing of its projects in the area of competence of AIIB such as:

a.Construction of infrastructures like roads, and extension of airports and harbor;

b.Construction of hydropower dams, gas fuelled thermal power plants and renewable energy sources

China Investment: At present, what cooperation projects are there in the field of infrastructure construction? What changes have these project brought to Côte d’Ivoire

ADAMA DOSSO: Côte d’Ivoire has many cooperation project in different areas, Energy infrastructure, roads and transport infrastructures and Education.

Energy

As demand for electricity grows at home and abroad, the Government has introduced new projects to make the sector more competitive
these projects are:

·Soubré hydro power dams ;

·Construction of three hydropower dams ;

·Construction of gas fuelled energy production ;

To meet its power generations targets, the country will need to successfully diversify its current energy mix. This includes increasing hydropower productions, as well as other renewable sources such as biomass and solar project.

Côte d’Ivoire is also aiming to boost oil and gas exploration and production with a key objective being to tackle the current deficit in natural gas.

In 2017, gas fuelled thermal power plants accounted for 80% of the country production, with hydropower generating 19% and just 1% derived from renewable energy sources.

However, investment is expected to reshape the country energy mix, with gas fuelled energy production set to represent 57% of Côte d’Ivoire’s generation capacity by 2020. Hydropower on the other hand, will expand to comprise 23% of generation, while other renewable energy sources are expected make up 11%.

The Government is pushing for a higher electricity generation capacity and aims to double it to 4000 MW by 2020 and 6000MW a decade later.

Roads and transport infrastructures

Another project is the ambitious expansion plans for Abidjan International Airport-also referred to as Félix Houphouet Boigny airport covering both its terminal and airside infrastructure with a current focus on the latter.

When the expansion plan will be completed the airport expect the number of passengers to surpass 3 million.

The Port Autonome d’Abidjan is the country’s main port facility, accounting for 85% of national customs revenues. It is also an important regional maritime center, as well as the largest tuna fishing port in the world. The total merchandise traffic through the port stood at 21,7 million tons in 2016.

A major modernization and expansion is currently in process at the port by a Chinese company. Such project will help to re-establish Abidjan as an international transit points for imports and exports of West Africa.

Côte d’Ivoire’s second port is located at San Pedro. The Port Autonome de San Pedro is primarily used for exports of commodities such as cocoa and coffee as well as for trans-shipment to other parts of the region. Total merchandise traffic at the port amounted 4.85 million tons in 2014.

The expansion will increase overall container capacity.

The national roads infrastructure is indeed set for major repair and expansion in the coming years. Côte d’Ivoire has many projects in this regard
The key challenges for the entire sector will be to ensure that roads are build, properly maintained and rehabilitated where necessary, this will allow links between major ports and the country hinterland  as well as neighboring landlocked states, and develop the logistics sector so it is able to serve the whole of west Africa.

Education

The educational system is made up of two types of education: general education and technical education and vocational training. General education comprises three levels: (i) pre-school and primary education, (ii) secondary general education, and (iii) higher education. Technical education and vocational training begin in secondary school.

The Government has recognized in the NDP the urgent need to strengthen the quality of the education system to meet its economic growth targets, in particular in the area of vocational training, and has developed an ambitious agenda aimed at achieving better outcomes in the education sector by committing to an education program for all 6 to 16 year olds.

Higher education in Côte d’Ivoire is provided through a variety of institutions: three public universities, three Higher Education Regional Units (Unités Régionales d’Enseignement Supérieur), two selective public institutes (grandes écoles publiques), 35 private universities, and 143 selective private institutes (grandes écoles privées). Four-fifths of the higher education institutions are concentrated in the Abidjan district. In addition, three universities and schools (UFHB, INP-HB and ENSEA) were identified as part of a program to create regional centres of excellence and the INP-HB has been identified as the regional centre for the training of pilots for civil aviation.

Côte d’Ivoire and China will complete very soon the building of a secondary general education school called «Lycée d’Excellence de Grand-Bassam».

Another project is the construction of a public university in San Pedro.

China Investment: How do you view the China Africa cooperation and the One Belt one Road Initiative docking?

ADAMA DOSSO: Côte d’Ivoire greatly appreciates China Africa cooperation which is a win win cooperation that is done in a spirit of mutual respect and friendship.
The One Belt one Road is a very important Initiative that marks China’s solidarity with developing countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, and demonstrates the openness of China.
The One Belt one Road Initiative aims to promote peace and international security and a world in which the prosperity and development of all countries will be guaranteed.

China Investment: What are the implementation of the eight major tasks proposed by the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China Africa cooperation in Côte d’Ivoire and what results have been achieved? What challenges are you facing? In the future what areas does Côte d’Ivoire hope to strengthen cooperation with China?

ADAMA DOSSO: Côte d’Ivoire has begun to implement the eight major tasks proposed by the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China Africa cooperation in many areas but we will only mention a few such as participation in the First China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo of Changsha, his membership of the AIIB, exchanges of visits of businessmen as well as those of high personalities.
The results are very good and beyond our expectations.

Côte d’Ivoire does not have any challenges, however Côte d’Ivoire want to strengthen trade with China.

Côte d’Ivoire is the largest producer of cocoa and cashew nuts in the world, so Côte d’Ivoire seeks Chinese investors for the mechanization of its agriculture as well as the transformation of its agricultural raw materials in order to sell them on the Chinese market.

China Investment: What do you think about the Chinese debt trap theory proposed by the western media?

ADAMA DOSSO: African countries reject this theory broadcast in some media.

African countries are sovereign states that manage their economies very well, which is why these countries have averaged an annual growth rate of 8% for almost a decade.

文 | 本刊记者 张梅

编辑 | 张梅

翻译｜周佳

图片提供｜中国路桥工程有限责任公司

设计 | 李玉丹