The Republic of the Ivory Coast has a surface area of 322 463 sq.kms for 24,37 million inhabitants, and a GDP close to US$40,389 billion. The country has considerable economic assets, including infrastructures such as its port (2nd busiest port in sub-Saharan Africa), road network and international airport.
The development of the Ivorian economy is mainly based on agriculture. The primary sector contributes a quarter of the GDP and employs two-thirds of the labour force (source: World Bank, 2017).
Ivory Coast is France’s leading commercial partner, within the Franc zone, and the 4th in sub-Saharan Africa, after Nigeria, South Africa and Angola. France is also Ivory Coast’s 2nd biggest trading partner after Nigeria. The major French groups traditionally present in Africa are for the most part active in Ivory Coast through subsidiaries. Ivory Coast hosts more than 140 French subsidiaries employing nearly 40,000 people and 500 French SMEs incorporated under local law, for the largest French presence in sub-Saharan Africa.
In order to meet the needs of its customers on the Ivorian market, Simon Associés has developed privileged relations with economic and legal partners locally.