General private sector assessment

A five-volume Manual for Action in the Private Sector (MAPS) was developed to prepare for USAID involvement in this area; the first of the volumes, an overview of the macroeconomic environment in which Cote d"Ivoire"s private sector operates, is presented here. Besides profiling the structure and role of the private sector, the report attempts to shed light on the transition Cote d"Ivoire is currently undergoing during a period of weakened terms of trade for its primary exports and increased international competition across economic sectors. Individual sections discuss: (1) the country"s economic performance, structure, and prospects; (2) the private sector, formal and informal; (3) demographics, labor, and employment; (4) economic policy, public finance, and privatization of public enterprises; (5) external trade and the balance of payments; (6) debt relief and foreign aid; (7) the financial sector; and (8) transportation and communications infrastructure. A final section contains provisional recommendations for USAID private sector strategies.