 Economic Infrastructures, assets for sustainable development |
All economic infrastructures which have an impact on the economy and which form the foundation of the country's development, especially the Port, Airport but also the Post and Telecommunications all come under the Ministry of Economic Infrastructures.
In order to take advantage of a high-performance network in the telecommunications, the Government voted a law on 7 July 1995 which outlined the telecommunications code. Thus three different schemes were defined. In fact, it ranges from the monopoly of basic telecommunications, the authorisation scheme to regulate value added services and the third scheme is on free competition for terminals. Today, the Government defines the policy in the sector and sets out the regulatory framework. The regulatory bodies are two in number, the Telecommunications Agency of Côte d'Ivoire and the Telecommunications council of Côte d'Ivoire.
On 2 February1997, the national telecommunications operator was privatised and France Câbles and Radio, a subsidiary of France Telecom won the international invitation to bid on 51% of the capital of this enterprise. According to the set objectives in the concession agreement, Côte d'Ivoire Telecom had to wait for the standard recommended by the International Telecommunication Union for three years (responding to connection requests within two months and 80% telephone disorders were fixed in two days). The national operator must install more than 290 000 major lines and 240 booths before 2000 ending. The network of lines rose from 114 000 in 1997 to 200 000 in August 1999. Today, the number of telephone booths built by Côte d'Ivoire Telecom is estimated between 1000 booths compared to 200 in 1997. Moreover, this company has a monopoly for 7 years and during this period the company is required to link 372 localities in the framework of rural telephone connections.
Since the advent of private operators especially in public and cellular (Mobile) telephone systems gave rise to some conflicts for which the Telecommunication Agency in Côte d'Ivoire(ATCI) had to exercise its mediation apparatus. Since it was established in 1995, ATCI's mission is to regulate the sector in accordance to the law of 7 July 1995 bearing the Telecommunications Code.
To this end, ATCI granted licences to three cellular network operators. " The agency's role is to enforce compliance with regulatory enactments, issue authorisations to operators who desire to invest and manage radioelectric frequency bands " asserts ATCI Director Ebou Kouatchi.
Concerning the old numbering system replaced by the eight-digit system, ATCI Director said that the rate of connections(10 000 new subscribers per month for cellular phones and 3-4000 for land phones), the capacity of the six-digit numbering system will soon be outstripped by applications for phone numbers. " Today, we have reached a stage whereby we can no longer give bunch of numbers to cellular networks because their rate of phone connection is too high " adds Kouatchi. Predictions show that in fifty years Côte d'Ivoire's needs in this area will rise to 36 million numbers for subscribers. Meanwhile, the six-digit numbering plan only has capacity for 10 million numbers. The three cellular network companies represent more than 250 000 subscribers compared to 270 000 for the land phone. The cellular boom is partly traceable to the long delay in the process of connecting to the land phone. Considering the numbers of subscribers, Telecel de Loteny is the cellular industry leader with 125 000 subscribers while Ivoiris and Comstar share out the remaining ones.
With respect to the quality of service and traffic that is, in terms of turnover Ivoiris is number one. Today, this company has 115 000 subscribers compared to Comstar's 10 000. The Managing Director of Telecel , Mr Yérim Sow believes this success is due to high standards and hardwork. The Telecel de Loteny group hopes to expand across Africa. " We are already established in Central African Republic, Gabon, Burundi, Zambia, Niger and Togo, Benin will be operational in the first quarter of 2000 " asserts Mr Sow. Telecel's turnover is CFA F 33 billion for net income of CFA F 9 billion in 1999 compared to CFA F 17 billion with a net income of CFA F 3.3 billion in 1998. Incorporated in 1996 with a capital of CFA F 200 million, today Telecel de Loteny has a capital of CFA F 2,865 billion including 52.5% for Telecel International.
In subsequent years, Telecel de Loteny hopes to improve the quality of the service. " We hope to put a particular emphasis on client service so as to work towards sustaining our enterprise " states Yérim Sow. In this vein, Telecel is open to partnership in this area.
In addition to cellular telephones and road infrastructures, Côte d'Ivoire is not left out of the information super highway. The development of the Internet continues and Internet service providers are setting up. Today, four Internet service providers are established in the country while prices have started falling. Subscription to Internet cost 30 000 francs per month in Côte d'Ivoire. In a bid to popularize the use of Internet, the Government was backed by the American Government who set up an Internet node allowing for better access to the Internet across the entire country. Cybercafés sprung up in the Abidjan (Economic capital) where 2.5 million people live. The success of cybercafés ( a place where one could send E-mail and surf on the Internet) is anchored on the fact that the cost of personal computers are still high for a large section of the population.
The communication world is not left in the lurch
as far as the " global village " is concerned.
" With respect to the quality of service and
traffic that is, turnover Ivoiris is number one.
Today, this company has 115 000 subscribers compared
to Comstar's 10 000. The Managing Director of Telecel
, Mr Yérim Sow believes this success is due
to high standards and hardwork. The Telecel de Loteny
group hopes to expand across Africa. " We are
already established in Central Africa, Gabon, Burundi,
Zambia, Niger and Togo, Benin will be operational
in the first quarter of 2000 " asserts Mr Sow. |
Telecel's turnover is CFA F 33 billion for a net income of CFA F 9 billion in 1999 compared to CFA F 17 billion with a net income of CFA F 3.3 billion in 1998. Incorporated in 1996 with a capital of CFA F 200 million, today Telecel de Loteny has a capital of CFA F 2,865 billion including 52.5% for Telecel International.
For subsequent years, Telecel de Loteny hopes to improve the quality of the service. " We hope to put a particular emphasis on client service so as to work towards sustaining our enterprise " states Yérim Sow. In this vein, Telecel is open to partnership in this area.
In addition to cellular telephones and road infrastructures, Côte d'Ivoire is not left out of the information super highway. The development of the Internet continues and Internet service providers are setting up. Today, four Internet service providers are established in the country while prices have started falling. Subscription to Internet cost 30 000 francs per month in Côte d'Ivoire. In a bid to popularize the use of Internet, the Government was backed by the American Government who set up an Internet node allowing for better access to the Internet across the entire country. Cybercafés sprung up in the Abidjan (Economic capital) where 2.5 million people live. The success of cybercafés ( a place where one could send E-mail and surf on the Internet) is anchored on the fact that the cost of personal computers are still high for a large section of the population.
The communication world is not left out of the " global village ". The new millenium is said to be one where intelligence will reign but also technology. The illiterates will be those who would not be computer literate. Already, twelve newspapers are connected to the Internet. Fraternité- Matin group of newspapers founded in 1964 on the initiative of President Houphouet Boigny is made up of three components: Printing press, Newspapers and Advertising. With a turnover of CFA F 8 billion, Fraternité-Matin has a circulation of 50 000 copies. The group has two newspapers on the internet. They are: Fraternité-Matin daily newspaper and Ivoir'Soir (evening newspaper).
Through the World Bank's impetus, the Government will soon privatise the Fraternité-Matin group and channel 2 of the Television. Announced to commence in 1999, the transfer of the vital part of Government hold on these two enterprises is dragging till today becuase the Privatisation Committee is yet to finish with preliminary studies for announcing the international invitation to bid. Side by side Fraternité-Matin there is Le jour daily newspaper (first newspaper to be connected to the Internet) who seem to position itself as the reference at the national and subregional levels due to the quality of its reports.
Apart from Telecommunications and the media there are programmes for the provision of drinkable water to the entire country. A national programme for the provision of water resource equipment enabled the country to create about 140 water supply points. It is noteworthy that a network of distributors to facilitate access to spare parts and train men in technical maintenance and repairs was created.
In the area of road infrastructures, Côte d'Ivoire has 6 500 km of ashalphated roads and 100 000 country tracks. " In the framework of the sectoral adjustment programme of transport in Côte d'Ivoire, road maintenance was privatised and the Government does not carry out governmnent-operated works any longer. The target budget for road maintenance is estimated at CFA F 48 billion while the financing capacity stands at CFA F 7 billion. Meanwhile, Government's objective is to reach the target of 11 000 km of tarred roads by 2010.
The programme is under the supervision of the National Bureau for Technical Studies and Development (BNEDT) headed by Mr Antoine Adou. Estabished in the 70s, BNEDT formerly called Directorate of Public Works initiated all Côte d'Ivoire's big infrastructures.
Furthermore, the expansion of road network will allow for better communication between the country's various towns and cities. The Société Ivoirienne de Postes et de l'Epargne (Ivorian Agency for Post and Savings) SIPE frequently uses the road network for the distribution of letters. SIPE also collects savings from both the urban and rural population thanks to flexible conditions and the less privileged class who are unable to meet the stringent conditions set by the commercial banks turn over to SIPE. Today, SIPE has a postal cheque centre in the major cities of the country. Like a regular bank, the postal cheque centre enable clients to receive their monthly salaries via the centre and to issue cheques. For the Managing Director of SIPE, Mr Gilbert Koua Kacou, the Post is a powerful medium for bridging the gap between people. " We have a real need for investments as we need to be every where plus we need postal equipment that is, post office boxes, sorting boxes, postal bags, letter sorting machines " says the MD of SIPE.
Besides, the Ivorian Postal service hopes to computerize its operations and we are seeking funds for this purpose. Bilateral agreements exist between the American Post in terms of money order transfers and exchange of letters. " We even reached an agreement with the American Post for the training of our executives in English and for them to provide us with the much-needed expertise for the organisation of the Universal Postal Union Congress (UPU) to be held in 2004 in Abidjan. " hints Mr Gilbert Koua. In fact, Côte d'Ivoire is a candidate for the organisation of UPU Congress in Abidjan in 2004. The Government is poised to find support from abroad so that its candidacy will be accepted. Meanwhile since the last UPU Congress in China Ivorian authorities have made several contacts with many western capitals.
If Côte d'Ivoire does not want to be left out of Multimedia and Telecommunication sectors, in the area of mineral petroleum resources vital measures are being awaited to launch the country into sustainable development. |
