|
Policy Areas |
Objectives/Policies |
Strategies and Measures |
Timetable |
Technical Assistance |
|
I. Fiscal policy
|
Reduction of the overall fiscal deficit and
achievement of virtual balance by 2000; generation of primary budget surpluses compatible with
the financial objectives of the program for 1998–2000.
|
See below.
|
1998–2000
|
|
1. Revenue
|
Maintenance of government revenue of at least
21 percent of GDP, through rationalization of the tax system, broadening of the tax base,
and strengthening of the efficiency of the tax and customs administrations.
|
Tax and customs administration:
- Reduction of tax and customs exemptions by stepping up controls and
ensuring that exemptions are strictly limited to those allowed under the law.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Completion of the study on the extension of the
cadastre.
|
March 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Definition of 20 land districts.
|
December 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Expansion of the tax base and improvement of
the property tax.
• Introduction of a simplified
cadastre.
• Acceleration of the land registration
process.
|
December 1998
|
|
|
|
|
Export taxes:
- Reduction of export taxes on cocoa from 22 percent in 1996 to
19.5 percent of the export price in 1997 and 17 percent in 1998, and reduction of
export taxes on coffee from 12 percent in 1996 to a symbolic 1 percent starting in
1997.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
Import taxes:
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Reduction of the number and level of rates
(maximum 25 percent) in the context of the implementation of the WAEMU common
external tariff and common customs procedures.
|
End-March 1998
|
IMF/
World Bank
|
2. Expenditure
|
Containment of current expenditure, except in
priority areas.
|
- Reduction of the central government wage bill
from 7.1 percent of GDP in 1996 to 6 percent of GDP by 2000.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Restraint in other areas of current expenditure
while giving priority to basic social services (health and education) and essential infrastructure
(see below).
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Annual report (in September) on the budgetary
execution of the human resources development program.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
Improvement of the programming and execution
of the public investment program.
|
- Annual updating of the rolling three-year
investment program in September of each year (in consultation with the World Bank) in
accordance with sectoral priorities and the macroeconomic framework.
|
1998–2000
|
|
3. Public finance management
|
Improvement of budget execution and cash-flow
management.
|
- Adoption of a new budget nomenclature in
conformity with that adopted by WAEMU.
|
September 1998
|
IMF/
World Bank
|
|
|
|
- Integration of all government expenditure into
the budget.
|
January 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Centralization at the treasury of all central
government deposits and rationalization of their management.
|
March 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Adoption and implementation of a new
accounting system and preparation of a unified budget.
|
January 1999
|
IMF/
World Bank/France
|
|
|
|
- Review of public expenditure in September of
each year, in cooperation with the World Bank and other donors and lenders.
|
1998–2000
|
World Bank
|
|
|
|
- Implementation of the recommendations of the
CGRAE audits:
|
|
|
|
|
|
• Completion of the administrative and
accounting reorganization.
|
December 1998
|
|
|
|
|
• Increased computerization.
|
1998
|
|
|
|
Decentralization and strengthening of regional
development.
|
- Strengthening of the role of local
governments.
|
1998–2000
|
France/European Union
|
4. Civil service reform
|
Improvement of the administration of the civil
service.
|
- Reduction of the size of the civil service by
reducing the number of civil servants in certain sectors, reducing the number of temporary
employees and day laborers, strictly applying the rules on retirements and voluntary departures,
and focusing new hiring in the health and education sectors.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Establishment of a data bank on the
qualifications of government employees.
|
January 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Establishment of an integrated computerized
system for civil service and payroll management covering all government employees (including
temporary employees and day laborers), and regular updating of this system.
|
January 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Rationalization of the allowances paid to civil
servants.
|
February 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Completion of organization charts and staffing
plans.
|
February 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Introduction of a new promotion scheme based
on productivity.
|
June 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Completion of a study on the public sector pay
scale.
|
June 1998
|
|
5. Public debt
|
Reduction of debt service to a sustainable
level.
|
- Elimination of all verified domestic payments
arrears.
|
December 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Nonaccumulation of new external and domestic
arrears.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Request for a rescheduling of debt owed to Paris
Club creditors.
|
April 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- No recourse to nonconcessional external loans
(with a grant element of less than 35 percent) contracted or guaranteed by the government, except
as specified under the program.
|
1998–2000
|
|
II. Regional monetary policy and reform of the
financial sector
|
Improvement of monetary management to ensure
a moderate strengthening of the external position of the banking system and maintenance of low
levels of inflation.
|
- Conduct of regional monetary policy using
mainly indirect instruments.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
Increase of private domestic savings and
improvement of competition and efficiency of the banking and financial systems.
|
- Development of new medium- and long-term
financial instruments.
- Continued strict application of the banking commission's prudential
regulations.
|
1998–2000
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Adoption by the government and transmission to
parliament of the texts changing the status of CAA-GDD from a public enterprise to government
corporation subject to the banking laws.
|
January 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Start-up of the Regional Stock
Exchange.
|
March 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Promotion of mutual savings and loan
associations.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
-Restructuring of the SIPE and adoption of the
decrees separating the postal services from the financial services.
|
June 1998
|
|
III. Promotion of private sector
development
|
Continuation of the privatization program and
improvement of the performance of public enterprises.
|
- Privatization of 15 enterprises in 1998 and 25 in
1999-2000 (see attachment).
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Finalization of the report on the financial
position of public enterprises in 1996
|
January 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Implementation of plan for the reduction of
cross-debts between the government and public enterprises.
|
June 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Completion of a study on the procedures and
economic results of the privatizations.
|
June 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Revision of the articles of incorporation of
public enterprises consistent with the new laws adopted in May 1997, which specify government
control mechanisms over the enterprises with state participation.
|
November 1998
|
|
|
|
Reform of legal and regulatory framework and the
judicial system.
|
- Strengthening of the legal and judicial systems
and speeding up of court proceedings, including:
|
1998–2000
|
France/World Bank
|
|
|
|
• Decentralization of the judicial system and
reform and modernization of the court registry offices.
|
1998
|
|
|
|
|
• Recruitment and training of a sufficient
number of new magistrates each year to allow the judicial system to function
efficiently.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Adoption of the 4 remaining implementing
decrees of the new labor code.
|
January 1998
|
|
|
|
Increase in labor market flexibility.
|
- Continued implementation of the new labor
code.
|
1998–2000
|
ILO
|
IV. Trade and prices
|
Increase in flexibility of prices for goods and
services and efficient resource allocation.
|
- Continued application of the system for the
adjustment of petroleum product prices based on fluctuations in world prices, and reduction of
the butane subsidy.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
Promotion of exports and import substitution by
simplifying and liberalizing the trade system.
|
- Elimination of the SIR monopoly on the supply
of petroleum products.
|
December 1998
|
|
V. Agriculture
|
Promotion of modern, diversified, and
competitive agriculture with enhanced private sector participation.
|
- Complete liberalization of coffee and cocoa
marketing, with the aim of strengthening the private sector, increasing producers' income, and
diversifying agriculture.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
• Increased public information on new policies
through an education and information campaign.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
• Accelerated strengthening of producer
organizations, the private sector, and support to young farmers and women, including through the
reduction of legal, financial, and administrative barriers.
|
1998
|
AfDB
|
|
|
|
• Census of producers and creation of a database
to serve as a reference source for the two sectors.
|
1998
|
|
|
|
|
• More efficient marketing of coffee and cocoa
during the transition period before the 1998/99 agriculture season, in particular through the
formalization of a domestic market in physical commodities and contracts.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
• Liberalization of coffee marketing, including
elimination of the price schedule (barème), the minimum indicative producer
price, and public forward sales (PVAM) for coffee.
|
October 1, 1998
|
|
|
|
|
• Evaluation of the impact of the liberalization
of coffee marketing and definition of additional measures for the liberalization of
cocoa.
|
1998–99
|
|
|
|
|
• Liberalization of cocoa marketing, with
elimination of the price schedule (barème), the minimum indicative producer
price, and the possibility of setting up public forward sales (PVAM) for cocoa managed by
professionals instead of the public sector. The evaluation of the coffee liberalization will be made
before October 1, 1999, supported by corrective measures, if needed, for the liberalization of the
cocoa sector.
|
October 1, 1999
|
|
|
|
|
- Restructuring of CAISTAB.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
• Limitation of direct sales by CAISTAB to 15
percent of annual coffee and cocoa production.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
• Reduction of CAISTAB current outlays
("delta").
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
• Adoption of a restructuring plan for
CAISTAB.
|
September 1998
|
|
|
|
|
• Reorientation in the functioning of the
restructured CAISTAB in conformity with the different stages of liberalization.
|
1998–99
|
|
|
|
|
• Submission of quarterly data on CAISTAB's
financial operations.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Placement of the processing factories on a more
competitive footing.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Initiation and completion of a feasibility study
on the creation of a commodity exchange in Abidjan.
|
1998–99
|
|
|
|
|
• Preparation of the terms of reference of the
feasibility study.
|
April 1, 1998
|
|
|
|
|
• Completion of the study and discussion with
development partners.
|
December 31, 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Updating and implementation of the food
production plan.
|
1998–2000
|
|
VI. Environment and forestry
|
Development and protection of natural
resources.
|
- Implementation of the national environmental
action plan.
|
1998–2000
|
World Bank/European Union
|
|
|
|
- Halting of illegal occupation and strict control
on cultivation in designated forests, and gradual permanent resettlement of occupants producing
cash crops.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Introduction of a resource-based taxation system
on wood to replace the current system based on sawn timber and processed wood
products.
|
1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Introduction of new policies allowing the
granting of long-term transferable concessions.
|
1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Promotion of national parks management and
reforestation by the private sector.
|
1998–2000
|
|
VII. Mining and petroleum
|
Increase in production, storage, and distribution
capacity for petroleum products.
|
- Continued exploration of new oil fields,
especially offshore.
- Promotion of the use of natural gas.
|
1998–2000
1998–2000
|
World Bank
|
|
|
Development of the mining sector.
|
- Promotion of mining production and artisanal
mining.
|
1998–2000
|
|
VIII. Energy and water
|
Achievement of self-sufficiency in the energy
sector.
|
- Development of electrical energy production
capacities.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Extension of national electricity network and
acceleration of rural electrification program (200 villages per year).
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
Strengthening of competition and
cost-effectiveness.
|
- Improvement of the legal and regulatory
framework to promote independent energy producers; completion of the restructuring of the
sector.
|
1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Continued application of a cost-based automatic
adjustment mechanism for electricity charges.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
Increase availability of drinking
water.
|
- Implementation of the water supply investment
program.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Improvement of water distribution
equipment.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Preparation of a code on water resource
management.
|
1998
|
|
|
IX. Transport and telecommunications
|
Withdrawal of government from the sector and
reduction of transport costs through deregulation of domestic and international
transport.
|
- Removal of the remaining regulatory obstacles
in the area of road transport.
- Rationalization of roadblocks and checkpoints.
|
1998–2000
1998
|
|
|
|
Reorientation of infrastructure
expenditure
|
- Provision of priority budgetary allocations for
road maintenance expenditure, especially for rural roads.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Gradual transfer of maintenance work to the
private sector.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
Broadening of domestic coverage of the
telecommunications network and strengthening of international networks.
|
- Increase in the number of telephone
lines.
- Development of the telephone company's rural network.
|
1998–2000
1998–2000
|
|
X. Housing
|
Establishment of a real estate and mortgage
market, and mobilization of private funds for housing purposes.
|
- Improvement of the access of households
(especially lower income) to home ownership and mortgage loans.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Provision of additional developed and serviced
land, increase in the construction of low-income housing, and rehabilitation of rundown
neighborhoods.
|
1998–2000
|
|
XI. Social policy
|
Poverty alleviation and
improvement in socioeconomic conditions, aimed at reducing poverty from 36.8 percent of the
population in 1995 to 30 percent in 2000.
|
- Adoption and implementation of a national
policy in favor of women.
|
1997-2000
|
|
- Creation of a committee to guide and monitor
implementation of the poverty reduction action plan.
|
January 1998
|
|
|
|
- Preparation of specific sectoral action plans
aimed at increasing and at better targeting public expenditures in favor of the most vulnerable
groups, and at improving the efficiency and usefulness of these expenditures.
|
March 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Development of poverty indicators and key
social indicators.
|
March 1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Assessment of the impact of social funds in
reducing poverty.
|
September 1998
|
|
1. Health and family planning
|
Improvement in the coverage and quality of health
services, especially in rural and disadvantaged urban areas.
|
- Reinforcement of measures guaranteeing a
minimum level of primary health care.
- Increase of the share of total primary spending represented by health
(excluding foreign- financed investments, from 7.1 percent in 1996 to 10.8 percent
in 2000, i.e., from 1.0 percent of GDP to 1.5 percent of GDP,
respectively).
|
1998–2000
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Increase in budgetary allocations to primary and
preventive health care (from 33 percent of the health budget in 1996 to 39 percent
in 2000).
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Development of a system to strengthen the
program execution capacity of the Ministry of Public Health (MSP).
|
1998
|
|
|
|
|
- Increased access to health centers in
disadvantaged and rural areas, and improvement of the quality of care and development of
preventive measures.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
Improvement in accessibility and availability of
medicines.
|
- Continuation of the campaign to promote the use
of generic drugs by health providers, patients, and pharmacies (public and
private).
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Strengthening of cost-recovery system in
Côte d'Ivoire.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Strengthening of competition in the import and
sale of medicines.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Continued reform of the operations of the Public
Health Pharmacy (PSP).
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
Promotion of family planning and reduction of
infant mortality.
|
- Strengthening of family- planning, AIDS
prevention, and anti-malaria services.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Implementation of the child vaccination
program (raise the child vaccination rate to 80 percent in 2000, compared to 60 percent
currently).
|
1998–2000
|
|
2. Education
|
Improvement in the efficiency and quality of the
education system and achievement of a net enrollment rate of 55 percent in 2000,
compared to 51 percent in 1996, and a literacy rate of 48 percent by 2000, compared with
43 percent in 1996.
|
- Increase in the enrollment rate, with a particular
emphasis on girls and disadvantaged groups; reduction of repeater rates and exam failure rates;
reform of curricula and teaching methods; reduction of regional disparities.
- Increase in the share of total primary spending represented by education
(excluding foreign-financed investments, from 31.6 percent in 1996 to 39 percent
in 2000, or from 4.5 percent of GDP to 5.4 percent of GDP), and stabilization of
the share of the education budget devoted to primary education to at least
45 percent.
|
1998–2000
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Targeting of school construction and
maintenance programs in favor of low income zones and zones with low primary school
enrollment rates, with an objective of building 1000 primary school classrooms per year.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Recruitment of 2000 primary school teachers per
year.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Strengthening of measures to rationalize
education and control unit costs.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Rehabilitation and expansion of school
infrastructure (at least 1000 primary school classrooms per year).
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Development of technical and vocational
training.
|
1998–2000
|
|
|
|
|
- Implementation of the action plan aimed at
increasing girls' access to education, with a view to raising girls' percentage in total students from
42 percent in 1996 to 44 percent in 2000.
|
1998–2000
|
|
XII. Statistical issues
|
Improvement of statistical data, particularly
balance of payments, monetary, national accounts, and debt statistics.
|
- Implementation of BCEAO action plan to
improve balance of payments and monetary statistics in response to recommendations of IMF
technical assistance missions of August 1996 and August 1997.
|
1998–2000
|
IMF
|
|
|
|
- Completion of a household statistical
survey.
|
1998
|
|
|
