Third Annual General Meeting in Abidjan

From November 13 to 16, 2023, the 3rd General Assembly of the African Public Procurement Network (RACOP) took place at the Sofitel Abidjan Hôtel Ivoire. Delegates representing 44 member countries and their institutional partners gathered with a shared goal: the modernization of the public procurement system in Africa through innovative reforms.

During her address, Mrs. BAMBA Massanfi, also President of the National Authority for Public Procurement Regulation (ANRMP), emphasized that this General Assembly provided an opportunity for the exchange of experiences, gaining knowledge about innovations in public procurement from international experts, and positioning RACOP as a learning and networking platform.

She expressed gratitude to the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the Islamic Development Bank for their significant contributions to the network.

The Ivorian Minister of Finance and Budget, Mr. Adama COULIBALY, underscored the importance of this initiative, stating that challenges related to public procurement modernization extend beyond the geographical borders of the African continent. He cited the example of Côte d’Ivoire, which, to fully harness the benefits of public procurement for improving economic and financial governance, has strengthened the legal framework, invested in capacity building, worked towards digitizing procedures, and intensified collaboration between the government and the private sector.

In his opening speech, the Minister and Secretary-General of the Presidency of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Mr. Abdourahmane CISSE, representing President Alassane OUATTARA, noted that improving public procurement mechanisms is a key to enhancing the efficiency of public spending.

Advocating for a more transparent, dynamic, and efficient public procurement system, he commended the theme of the General Assembly, focusing on “Public Procurement for Sustainable Development in Africa,” symbolizing the shared commitment to promoting more modern procurement procedures.

This General Assembly in Côte d’Ivoire provided an opportunity for work within various regional sub-groups to establish a common action plan, facilitating a real impact of RACOP within different national organizations.

At the end of these three days of deliberations, Rwanda was designated to assume the presidency of the network for the following year and organize the next General Assembly on its soil.

It is worth noting that RACOP was established on October 30, 2018, in Lomé, Togo, by bodies responsible for the public procurement system in Africa. Its mission is to promote the development and efficiency of this system through active cooperation among its members, with its headquarters in Lomé.