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speaking African countries can you give to busines-
have a competitive advantage ses that would like to
- it's the same language, the trade in these countries?
same currency: the CFA with
one single Central Bank, and I think the first support I
the same legislation for busi- would give to foreign compa-
ness (accounting system), cus- nies or investors who would
toms regulations, etc. like to do business with these
countries, is what I would call
This "common market" exis- "economic and country intelli-
ted long time before European gence", that is giving them the
_Union. Look at Air Afrique - right information in terms of
- it was a forerunner in its time opportunities, who are the
but unfortunately bad gover- main players, where are the
ting bottle-necks in terms of countries, they usually export
nance occurred. Do you reali- markets, how to understand
productive capacity is another raw materials to Europe and in
ze that these French-speaking the business in the country by
problem. They might be able particular France, Belgium,
countries have the same taking into account the deve-
to produce 100 items in a etc. Today, South-South trade
accounting system, the same lopment aspect. I'm very pan-
week or month, but if you is an extremely important
legislation for businesses, etc? African. Therefore, I consider
request 1,000 there is a pro- market: "Look at next door, at
Do you realize what kind of foreign investment as a part-
blem because the productive your neighbour... ,you can
advantages this is in terms of nership -- a win-win situation.
capacity is limited and does trade there." We are all com-
opportunities and businesses Of course, the foreign investor
not permit large-scale produc- peting for market access to
among the countries? should be satisfied, but the
tion. This also has an impact Europe and America, and tend
Unfortunately, it has not been host country should also be
on production and transaction to forget that there are market
noticed yet. We are now trying satisfied. Assistance in ente-
costs. Access to financing is shares to gain within the
to highlight these issues and ring the global value chain is
also a serious problem in African region. Intra-regional
we have made quite a lot of equally important, helping to
countries where the informal trade should develop further,
progress in the Western Africa connect local SMEs to MNCs
sector is extremely important. moving up the value chain of
Economic Monetary Union (multinational corporations).
This segment is not accepted products and service and
(UMOA). However, we have Personally, I am very export
as viable by the banker who taking into account our
not really succeeded yet with driven, and I'm convinced that
does not understand it. So the respective
comparative
a real African economic inte- it's through the development
informal sector is always advantages within the diffe-
gration such as there should of exports that we can increa-
facing problems to develop its rent regions.
have been -- namely a tool for se welfare, job creation and all
activities. It is also the case for
economic development since the issues that follow.
small and medium sized busi- Q: Industrialization, for
the beginning. Now I hope Knowledge of the markets is
nesses that face similar finan- some, is considered the
things are moving -- and bet- equally important. An investor
cing problems. solution to a lot of pro-
ter late than never -- but these arriving in a developing coun-
blems. Do you share this are in my opinion the compa-
Q: Do you think that point of view? try comes with capital and
rative advantages of West needs to be able to find niche
things are changing or
Africa and, in particular, markets and business opportu-
are they still the same? Yes and no. "Yes", because
French-speaking African nities for both himself and the
industrialization is value
countries which, in my opi- local communities -- there has
Yes, things are changing, but added, and in this sense I
nion, could become a huge to be a win-win situation.
perhaps not as fast as one agree if the value added bene-
business pool, a huge market.
could hope for. However, I fits the "South" and permits
Then, we could open up to Photos. WHIB/krot
think that more and more you the economic gap to be redu-
ECOWAS, North Africa and
can see these changes in a ced. "No", if industrialization
other parts of the world.
country like Senegal or else- only benefits the "North",
where. Politicians are beco- such as has been the case up to
Q: What kind of support
ming increasingly aware of now, something that has wide-
the fact that the private sector ned the gap even further. So I
needs an appropriate business think one should go back to
environment -- not only for the fairness I mentioned ear-
foreign direct investment but lier, so that industrialization
also for the local private sector can benefit the "South"
particularly SMEs. through adding value to pro-
ducts locally.
I also think that the diversifi-
cation of exports and markets Q: What would you say
is another issue. Often LDCs are the competitive
are oriented to the "classical advantages of French-
market'. If I take the case of speaking Africa?
African
I strongly believe that French-
French-speaking
14 1 2011 Diva

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