2024-09-16 23:21:35
The Central African private sector is still struggling to develop. The country is struggling to attract investors. Many activities and initiatives take place in the informal sector and therefore do not contribute directly to state resources. However, for the Interprofessional Group of Central Africa (GICA), the development of the country will necessarily include the growth of the private sector.
Encouraging small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is one of the goals set by GICA, one of the two employers’ associations in the country which has fifty members. For him, the economic development of the Central African Republic will go through SMEs. ” The only vector of growth, for us, is SMEs », shows Jonathan Nouganga, general manager of the organization.
« I take the example of mobile phone companies, their growth vector is based on value added services. But in terms of subscription or subscribers, they will not be able to grow much more year over year, he argued. On the other hand, an SME can easily double or triple its turnover rate depending on whether it accepts contracts, whether it becomes strategic, whether it is sustainable over time. »
For Jonathan Nouganga, the issue is not only the good health of employers. ” Of course, there is patriotismhe insisted. The more companies that exist, the more accurate and important the economic fabric, the more the government is given the means to be able to achieve its goals and make important structural investments. For this, we need a strong and above all formalized sector. »
Institutional challenges and lack of trust
To encourage business developmentGICA works above all to make the voices of traders heard. ” We tell each other that the more we share the same problems, the more easily we can find solutions. », said the manager of the organization. ” And GICA also has a representative at the one stop shop for business processes. So it is clear, the problems of these controls also come to our attention. We try to be a place for discussion. We believe in public-private dialogue, we believe that GICA can contribute to the advocacy of all these small SMEs », he continued.
Problems of which the authorities say they are well aware. Jean-Baptiste Koba is the ministerial adviser for investment of the President. ” Encouraging investments means reassurance and creating a pro-business climate that can restore confidence, therefore, to the community of investors who, often, prefer to invest in other countries where regulation is actually more favorable. “, he said. One of the biggest problems in the Central African Republic: the business climate. ” We really need to improve, he agreed. We must ensure the investment environment at the legal level. We want more peace and quiet, more security. In respect of contracts, there are procedures for example withdrawal. »
A law on business climate has been waiting for many years to be voted in the Parliament. In a recent note, GICA also revealed structural challenges faced by entrepreneurs such as the availability and cost of fuel, energy issues in general or the quality of infrastructure.
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