THE PRESIDENT OF BOAD TOOK PART IN AN INVESTORS’ ROADSHOW FOLLOWING THE INTERNATIONAL INVESTOR FORUM IN DUBAI

Messrs. Christian Adovelande, President of BOAD, and Cheicke Hadjibou Soumaré, President of the WAEMU Commission, led a delegation of about ten investors from United Arab Emirates, India, and UK as part of a roadshow in the WAEMU countries from 23 to 28 February 2015. The delegation travelled respectively to Cotonou, Lomé, Dakar, Abidjan and Niamey in the aftermath of the International Investor Forum held in September 2014 in Dubai, with a view to introducing to Emirati partners many business and investment opportunities available in the WAEMU region. Member countries of the Union were therefore expected to mobilize resources for the implementation of regional projects.

In the countries visited, the delegation held discussions with the political authorities and working sessions with the heads of the various ministries involved in project implementation. Overall, concerns expressed by investors mainly related to the need to have at disposal detailed and up-to-date information, including feasibility studies and economic Policy papers in the various sectors. They also expressed their renewed interest in funding feasibility studies or additional studies. Moreso, in the interest of good visibility, investors expressed the wish for clarifications on the business climate, the legal and regulatory framework governing PPPs in each of the countries, the profile of collaterals likely to be provided by these countries, the return on investments and issues of financial sustainability, tax incentives applicable as well as all other facilities and the mechanism for implementing and financing the projects presented. During the Dubai Conference, 16 regional growth-generating projects under the second phase of the Regional Economic Programme (PER II), specifically meant for transport facilities, energy and food security development, generated interest among investors who pledged commitments for US$19 billion, or XOF9,500 billion.

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