ABIDJAN, Aug. 7– Cote d’Ivoire has maintained its development momentum and its economy remains “dynamic,” President Alassane Ouattara said on Thursday on the eve of the country’s 66th Independence Day.
In a televised address to the nation, Ouattara said that economic growth must translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives, pledging that the government would continue to expand access to basic public services, create jobs, support household purchasing power and protect vulnerable groups.
Ouattara reaffirmed that the 2026-2030 National Development Plan (PND) would remain the country’s main framework for economic, social and cultural transformation.
He added that the Strategic Sovereign Fund for Development launched in April would help strengthen the country’s financial sovereignty and fund major infrastructure projects and strategic sectors.
The five-year PND envisages a total investment of 114.84 trillion CFA francs (about 205 billion U.S. dollars) and aims to achieve average annual GDP growth of 6.8 percent from 2027 to 2029, with the goal of helping the country attain upper-middle-income status by 2030.
Addressing domestic challenges, Ouattara acknowledged that the country had been affected by heavy rainfall and flooding that caused casualties and property losses. He said the government would accelerate investment in drainage and sanitation infrastructure and continue efforts to clear high-risk areas. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
