Impact of the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire on the economy of Niger

Abstract

The development of economic activity in Niger has been deeply marked by the irregularity and fragility of the system of production and trade, itself dependent on physical and human constraints, and by and large, on rainfall and low development of human resources. This is a factor accentuating the phenomenon of poverty and migration to the coastal countries, in particular to Cote d'Ivoire. In the WAEMU region, of which Niger is a member, Cote d'voire, going presently through this crisis, remains the pre-dominating economy, in terms of production and wealth, accounting for 37.7% of GDP, 39% of the money supply, 42.6% of claims to the economy and 45.5% of the Union's fiduciary circulation. These orders of magnitude are as concerns Niger respectively 7.9% of GDP and less than 3% for the other macro-economic variables, illustrating thus the small size of the country's economy in the Union.