JPRS ID: 10164 SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA REPORT
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JPRS L/ 10164
4 December 1981
Sub-Saharan Afric~ Re ort
p
FOUO No. 751
FBIS~ FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
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JPRS L/10164
4 December 1981 �
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA REPORT
FOUO No. 751
CONTENTS
CHAD
Briefs
Libyan Help in Army Training 1
Possible Foreign Aid Resumption 1
EDF Cotton Finar,_ ing 1
CONGO
Major Trends of 1982-1986 Development Plan Noted
(MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS, 2 Oct 81) 2
13riefs
IDA River Transport Credit 5
CSC's Restoration of Discipline 5
Students Returning to Sahool 5
- GAMBIA
Establishment of Agricultural Development Bank Reported
(I~7ARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRAiVEENS, 16 Oct 81) 6
IVORY COAST
French Expatriates: Their Importance, Cost Analyzed
(JEUNE AFRIQUE, OCt 81) 7
- Valuable but Expensive, by Jean-Claude Hazera
Opinions of Ivorian Cadre
MADAGASCAR
Mitterrand, Ratsiraka Inaugurate New Re].ationship
(Simon Malley; AFRIQUE-ASIE, 12 Oct 81) 13
Austrian Loans To Fund Distillery for Alcohol Fuel From Sugar
(MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS, 25 Sep 81) 16
- a- [III - NE & A- 120 FOUO]
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New Fertilizer Plants To Satisfy Domestic Needs
(MARCHES TROPICAUX ET N~DITERRAN~ENS, 16 OCt 81) 17
Briefs
Soya Enterprise 19
MAURITIUS
Closer Business Cooperation With Reunion Discussed
(Dorothee Aurban; AFRIQUE-ASIE, 12 Oct 81) 20
NIGER
Briefs
BEI Power Plant Loan 24
- Educational Statistics 24
EDF Road Financing 24
SENEGAL
Briefs '
SAED's Rice, Tomato Production 25
TANZANIA
Briefs
New Internal Trade Regulations 26
EDF Water Supply Grant 26
ZAMBIA
Briefs
Increase of Criminal Activity 27
Automobile Plant Closure 27
- b -
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CHA,D
BRIEFS
LIBYAN HELP IN ARMY TRAINING---Quoting an informed source in Yaounde, the AFP recently
- announced that Libya had agreed to help txain and finance Chad~s Integrated National
Army (ANI) under an agreement reached with the authorities of Ndjamena on 17 August
this year in Tripoli. According to the terms of this agreement, Libya is reported
to have made a commitment to help train 2,000 men a year over a 5-year period (a to-
tal of 10,000 men). Tripoli will also help set up the "governing bodies" of the In-
tegrated National Army and all the structures of the future Chadian Army "in all
spheres." It should be noted that the same source says that although many Chadian
troops are stationed in the towns of Abeche, Biltine, Guereda, Iriba and in neighbor-
ing garrisons, that area of the national territory is now under the "almost exclusive
and miiitary control of the Libyan Army. Some 10,000 Libyan troops with an "impres-
sive" array of equipment are reported to be established there on a permanent basis.
Finally, it is thought in Yaounde that the fighting, which has taken place in recent
weeks between Chadian and Libyan troops on the one hand and Hissein Habre's Northern
Armed Forces on the other, has now stopped. However, the Ndjamena authorities are
said to have decided to send "substantial" Chadian reinforcements, mostly troops, to
that region because they expect further clashes. [Text[ [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX
ET MEDITERRANEENS in French No 1874, 16 Oct 81 p 2635] [COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et
Cie Paris 1981] 8796
POSSIBLE FOREIGN AID RESUMPTION--It is reported that several financial backers who
are likely to resume sending aid to Chad are planning to hold a meeting in Paris at
the end of October or beginning of November. In addition to France with its bilater-
al aid, these backers are the EEC, the UNDP [UN I2evelopment Program], the ADB [Afri-
can Development Bank] and the World Bank. One of the main items in their agenda is
said to be the reconstruction of Nd~amena. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDI-
TERRANEENS in French No 1874,16 Oct 81 p 2635~ [COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris
1981) 8796
FDF COTTON FINANCING--A grant of 9.6 million ECUs [European currency unitj .from the
Eurapean Development Fund [EDF] is going to a program to support Chad's cotton farm-
ing production. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French No 1$74.
16 Oct 81 p 2635] [COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981] 8796
CSO: 4719/44
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CONGO
MAJOR TRENDS C~ 1982-1986 DEVELOPMENT PLAN NOTED
Paris MARCHES TRfJPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French No 1873,2 Oct 81 p 2510
[Text] The authorities of the People's Republic of the Congo are preparing the 5-year
- developcr~ent plan f or the 1982-1986 period. That plan and a new Investment Code are
scheduled to be adopted at the end of the year by the National Assembly.
At this stage, on]y the major trends of the plan have been decided. These trends are
based on t.he main objective of the recovery and redevelopment of the ,~ational territory,
particularly in the f ollowing sectors: transportatio,~, telecamnunications and infor-
mation, energy infrastructure and commerce.
Regarding transportation, priority must be given to all domestic transportation links
to facilitate the development of trade inside the regions and between the regions
with a view to expanding the d anestic market.
Steps in the sphere of telecommunications and information will be direated to improve
the postal service and to have a telephone, radio and television network covering the
entire national territory by 1980 [sic] for a rapid circulation of information which
will make it possible to implement programs of popularization in the fields of agri-
culture, health education and culture.
The Anergy inf rastr.ucture must be canpleted to bring electricity into all the district
capitals of all the regions to promote local productive activities and to improve the
quality of life of the rural population.
Since the main wheels of the economy are at present under ~he control of foreign
capital--a situation where the shortcomings of the Congolese econ any are canpounded by
inflationary pressure and excessive concentration of unproductive commercial acti-
vities--one of the objectives of the 1982-1986 plan is to go ahead with the Congoli-
za;.ion of commerce.
To nationalize the key sectors, it is necessary for the already created state enter-
prises to become adequately structured, which is not the case right naa. This is why
the program adopted at the end of March 1981 deals with the f.ollc~wing points:
--Development of 14 state enterprises presenting relatively sound conditions of organi-
~ation, management, finances and environment and which offer possibilities of
expansion.
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--Straightening out 36 state enterprises which are facing problems of organization~
management and environment. ~
--Reassessing the situation of 14 state enterprises which are facing problems in the
sphere of markets and technology to bring them to redirect their activities or even to
eliminate them.
Before drawing up a new commerce code and to revise commercial regulations and practices,
control over businessmen will be reinforced by means of more specific and c~sistent
regulations and with more significant means, all of this to achieve the Congolization
of commerce since one of the priorities of the 1982-1986 plan is to place commerce
into national hands.
For that purpose, the follawing guidelines have been agreed upon:
--Eventual nationalization of key sectors, particularly in the big import branch.
--The awarding of state markets to enterprises of the national private sector and the
awarding of processing activities to these same enterprises.
~ The awarding of business monopolies in sane sectors yet to be determined to enter-
prises of the ~iational private sector.
�--More Stcict conditions under which foreigners are all aved to engage in commercial
activities with the requirement that they deposit a bond which will be paid into a
Commerce Guarantee Fund, to which non-national merchants are already contributing.
in April 1981, the African Development Bank (BAD) gave a line of credit of 1 billion
CFA francs to the National Development Bank of the Congo (BNDC) to encourage the
creation of small and medium-size industrial enterprises and cottage industry enter-
prises to process local products. Total investment per unit must amount to between
40 and 150 million CFA francs with an initial investment of at least 20 percent of
the total investment. The projects must be submitted for appraisal by the minister
of plan. The BAD's contribution reinforces the m?ans of action available to public
authorities to reorganize local enterprises encouraging them ~o bring an adde~ value
to the prcx.'ucts.
Hoat~v~?', the Congolese a~.ithorities have xeaffirmed their wish to cooperate with the
foreign private sector in the sphere of commerce.
One of the measures adopted prior to preparing the 1982-1986 plan was to grant a
credit of 300 million CFA francs to the pre-cooperative groups operating in the spheres
of agricultural and livestock production and rural cottage industry.
The~outlined 1982-1986 plan gives top priority to oil as a source of income. Oil
will provide 70 percent of the 1981 budget receipts and in 1980 it accounted f or more
_ then 90 percent of the Congolese exports. Oil production is constantly increasing:
2.3 million tons in 1979 and 3 million tons in 1980. Production for 1981 is expected
to amount to 4 million tons, rising to 5 millior? tons in 1982 and to 6 million tons
in 1983. These expected increases presuppose the exploitation of new deposits.
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- But oil production is in danger of slowing dawn after 1983 and the C~golese authorities
are alrea~3y :naking plans for the post-petrol period by having new thoughts about the
problems of more traditional resources, particularly timber. During the 1980-1990
decade it is essential to boost the exploitation and industrialization of the north
of the Cong o taking advantage of a current shortage of the main tree sp~cies which
can only be found in sufficient quantities in the Cong o and in Central Af rica.
Eff orts must be urgently made to improve the channels to get the production out of
the area.
The purgose is to make timber again as important as it should be for the national
econ any and to ensure the after-petrol period. To achieve this objective, the timber
, industry must be x.eorganized an3 there must be large investments in basic infra- ,
structures and to help the operators. In this respect, it seems that the monopoly
of the Congolese Timber Office (OCB) in the field of export is an obstacle to the
deve].opment of production.
Difficult financial arbitrations will have to be made between naw and the end of 1981
and the 5-year development plan for the 1982-1986 period will assume its final shape,
be calculated and published before the end of becember 1981.
COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 198].
8796
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CONGO
BRIEFS
IDA RIVER TRANSPORT CREDIT--The International Develcpment Associati�an (IDA), an affil-
iate of the World Bank, recently extended to the Congo a$17-million credit (14.6
millions worth of special drawing rights) to help finance a$28-million project for
the impravement of the country's ri.ver transport facilities, mainly to help develop
its timber industry in the north of the country. These river facilities also serve
the south of Cameroon and the Central Afr�ican Republic. Transport equipment sched-
uled to be supplied include 16 barges, 2 push tugs and 1 tugboat. Data processing
equipment and consultant services will be supplied to the Trans-Congolese Communica-
tions Agency which operates a fleet of freighters and passenger boats over a distance
of 1,120 kilometers on the navigable sections of the Congo and Oubangui rivers.
_ [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS ir~ Frenc~ No 1874~.16 Oct 81 p 2537]
[COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981] 8796
CSC'S RESTORATION OF DISCIPLINE--The Confed~ral Executive Commission of the Congolese
Trade Union Confederation (CSC) has decided to restore "authority and discipline"
at all levels. In a communique published in Braxzaville, on 8 October, the CSC
states that i~ has pointed out the need to revive sanctions in accordance with the
existing regulations, the need to reintroduce a close relationship between wages and
"actually perforn:ed and well performed" work, to strictly observe working schedules
and to organize the channels through which the directives issued by the political
leadership are circulated. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in
French No 1874,16 Oct 81 p 2637] [COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981] 8796
STUDENTS RETURNING TO SCHOOL--The 1981-1982 school year has started throughout the
Congo. A message from the Congolese minister of national education, Antoine Ndinga
Oba, states that almost ha'lf of the Congolese population has attended school and
tYiat for the current year the number of schoolchildren and students is expected to
be 580,000. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French No 1874?16
~ct 81 p 2637] [COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981] 8796
CSO: 4719/146
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GAirIDIA
ESTABLISHI~IENT (7F' AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT BANK REPORTED
Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRA2~ENS in French No 1875., 16 Oct 81 p 2623
(TextJ The Gambian Parliament held a special session last 24 and 25 September. It
adopted, among others, a law concerning the establishment of the Agricultural Develop-
ment Bank.
It appears frcin the reports made on that occasion that the Gambian Government attaches
great importance to agricultural development and to food production in particular.
_ The year, 1980-1981 saw the planting of 21,000 hectares of rice, making possible tne
production of 21,000 tons of paddy, which are in addition to the 12,000 tons of ir-.
rigated rice f or the same period.
With regard to peanut~, because of unfavora~le climatic crnditions, a drop was noted
in production, which may have been the lowest in 30 years: 45,000 tais only were
harvested. Cotton production for the year 1980-1981 registered at 608 kilograms per
hectare over 1,000 hectares. The government intends to continue expanding and improving
production.
Cattle marketing is estimated at scme 2.3 million dalasis, of which 1.5 million are
fran export. Nigeria has signed an import agreement with Gambia for a 5-year perial,
during which 5,000 head of cattle wil~ be exported to Nigeria.
As �or fishing, the development project f or the fishing industry is under way, with
European Fund financing. Japan has just granted a subsidy for the acquisition of a
deep-freezing industry, small boats, outboard motors and accessories, as part of the
effort made in this sector.
The new bank is thus coming at an opportune time. With a capital of 3 million dalasis,
it will operate in Banjul as well as in the provi.nces.. It will be involved in the agri-
cultural, fishing and cattle marketing fields.
COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981.
9434
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IVORY GOAST
FRENCH EXPATRIATES: THEIR IMPORTANCE, COST ANALYZED
J Valuable but Expensive
Paris JEUNE AFRIQUE in French No 1083, 7 Oc[ 81 pp 34-38
- [Article by Jean-Claude Hazera: "Can We Get Along Withc,ut the 'Toubabs'?"J
[TextJ What have the French contributed to Ivory Coast7 Usual answer: "It works!"
. The contrast with Angola or Mozambique of today, for example, shows that the
- former colonizers do an effective job of assuring the continuity of a whole sezies
of systems: public services, administration, trade, banks, etc. Add to this the
economic liberalism displayed by the government and this government's stability
and you have the explanation why foreign capital is more ready to invest in ivory
Coast than elsewhere.
It can also be said that the former calonizing country developed cadre, though
this point merits criticaZ evaluation. One Frenc'hman said to us; "I wonder
whether, by exercising the leadership toe long, we are not preventing the Ivorian
cadr? from making the mistakes which provide the experience."
But if their presence has contributed t~ creating the conditions for a strong
economic growth, the French have not been the prima~y factor, no more than they
are responsible for the current economic slow-down. Yresident Houphouet-Boigny's
main economic principle, which makes his country fundamentally different, is the
maintenance and development of agriculture. He addresses his speeches primarily
to the peasants.
Ivory Coast's growth is primarily in the agricultural sector, which contributes the
bulk of .exports. The French still play an important role in this sector: economic
advisers to establish the stabilization fund and scientific experts in the agricul-
tural research institutes. The impact of this research can be very great. But it
is not Frenchmen who manage the plantations, except in very special casES (lumber,
rubber...). The sweating farmers in ivory Coast are in reality other foreigners,
~~oltans or rlalians, supervised by Ivorian planters.
Resentment
In the administration certain Frenchmen are, although discreetly, more than advisers.
Several are directors of ministries or departments. However, the Ivory Coast has
never objected to peopl~ from other African states s~rving as ministers. Anyway, it
is Houphouet-Boigny who runs the country.
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To answer the question: "Do the French run the Ivory Coast?", one must concen-
trate on the relations between the president and the former colonizer. Under de
Gaulle these relations reflected great mutual esteem; under Giscard lack of under-
standing led to resentment. Ur.der Mitterrand, relations seem again to be ravored
- by the personal friendship between the two head~~ of state. Tf Ivory Coast wise to
depend on such a high proportion of workers imported from France? To find out, we
need to study how much of the wealth goes to the French. Their status is not
exactly that of an African worker in France living in a maid's room or a home.
When one sees the villas of Cocody, the cars, the servant boys, the chauffeurs,
one cannot help wondering--w~atever one thinks about the legitimacy of this way
of life--how much of a burden it is on the country's economy. At any rate, some
Frenchmen say very clearly: "Otherwise we would not come."
A curious thing: the Ivorian authorities do not seem very interested in this
overall economic evaluation. The Central Bank reportedly did an estimate of out-
going funds attributable to the French, leading to the conclusion that their
presence is expensive; but not all regard the analysis as convincing. In 1975,
the expatriates, representing 5 percent of the work forces received 40 percent of
gross industrial salary, while the Ivorians representing 47 percent, had to settle
for 37 percent and the non-Ivorians, the other 47 percent, for 23 percent. This
i.ilustrates the following statement from the draft plan for 1976-1980: "One of
the major handicaps in industrialization is indeed the extra cost to factories
through using expatriate staff." Moreover, managers readily admit it. It is one
of the causes of the high price of Ivorian'products.
Without claiming to calculate to the nearest penny the portion of the national
wealth received by the French, it is nevertheless possible to give a rough estimate:
at minimum one-tenth, with 20,000 workers receiving an average monthly income of
- 708,000 Fr CFA (Fr fr 14,160), perquisites included (houses, etc.) 7.taelve months
would amount to 10 percent of a GNP of about 1.7 billion Fr CFA, not counting the
profits from 3.nvested French capital.
"Ivarization"
C~ne can conclude that such a drain is not serious insofar as the wealthy stimulate
trade, be they French or Ivorian. Moreover, the income of the Ivorian upper middle
class i.s no lower than that of the French. It would nevertheless be interesting to
know the cost in foreign exchange. That is, to know how much of their salary they
send to France and how much they spend in ivory Coast to pay for import~d products
(cars, household furnishing, wine, cheese, etc.)] The range of French products
offered by a supermarket in downtown Abid~an inevitahly makes one wonder: how
much of th~ precious foreign exchange earned by the sale of coffee and cocoa leaves
again in this way? Lacking an analysis, we can only recall that the chronic prob-
lem of Ivorian foreign trade remained a regular deficit in the balance of payments
despite a positive balance of trade. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the
- trade surplus is not duQ to France, with which the imbalance has always been to
the detriment of Ivory Coast. A deficit of 33.3 billion Fr CFA in 1977; and more
- than 85 billion in 1980.
Could Ivorians do without the French then? Could "ivorization" be speeded up?
There are a multitude of arrangements, regulations, and proposals. How are they
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~ applied? From absolute zero in 1960, the Ivorian share of industrial capital
reached 45 percent in 1980. In principle, nc+ foreigner can work without a work
contract in proper form and without the approval of the Ivory Coast Labor Office
(ICLO). In practice, there is no control or enforcement to ensure that these
provisions are taken seriously.
Unemployment
Althougrc the major corporations prudently adhere to these regulations, most of the
artisans and other small entrepreneurs who came to seek their fortune during the
coffee boom paid little attention to them. Reportedly, Bretaon was even seen to
disembark with his huge tractor-trailer intending to go to wo~k immediately with-
out asking anyone, though the transport sector is in theory closed to foreigners.
He was apparently granted an exception.
- Only the "ivorization plans" for ehe more important enterprises seem worthwhile.
The formula is flexible: the Ministry of Labor simply requests the enterprise
to itself plan the "ivorization" of a position and checks again on the effective
date. The proportian of European expatriates in industry is thus declining slowly
(today it must be about 4 percent). The pressure would not become stronger with-
out a political decision at the highest level. And we are not yet at that point.
_ However, recently a new element has been adding some immediacy to the problem.
It seems that for the f irst time some Ivorian cadre are unemployed. They have
even formed an association. The reasons for this unusual phenomenon are easy to
grasp. The ecoriomic stagnation is reducing hiring. Some Frenchmen have left the
r_ountry because of cutbacks in personnel or redirection of activities to other
countries: Cameroon, Gabon, Nigeria. This is true particularly in public works.
A number of "small whites" who had been attracted by the housing boom (masons,
carpenters, plumbers, etc.) have left. Others have got into diff iculti~s and
found themselves in prison for minor swindles. At the same time, an increasing
number of Ivorians are leaving the university, diploma in hand. Also, the dis-
solution in June 1980, because of inefficiency, of 29 out of the 36 existing
- r.ational corporations has put many Ivorian cadre out on the sidewalk, especially
_ since these corporations often had swollen management staffs.
Both the employers, particularly the French directors of enterprises, and the
authorities take a similar attitude to this whiff of unemployment. No one seems
~ to dramatize or be afraid of a growth in the phenomenon. No one seems to think
that tYie reaction, as concerns the French, would go beyond a mild xenophobia. The
- Lebanese risk greater problems, it is sometimes thought. The development of a
degree of insecurity, blamed on the Voltans or Malians, als~ directs attention to
other foreigners.
Frustrations
However, neither side seems to want to allow the cadre unemployment problem to
- deteriorate. In a politically very stable country like Ivory Coast, where there
is no voice of an organized political opposition, the students are no doubt the
primary source of potential trouble. Thus it is unthinkable to allow the develop-
ment among them of too many specific frustrations, which would be all the more
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. violent because the young graduates feel obligated to fulfill all the hopes that
their families have placed in them.
In an effort to r.educe this unemployment, the labor minister met with industrial
- leaders at the end of March 1 981 to present the problem and ask them to try to
hire the 600 cadre then unemp loyed. However, both sides pointed out that the
majority among them had train ing which was saleable with difficulty in the Ivorian
labor market: there were, f or example, many degrees in literature and modern
- languages. Yet "ivorization" of teaching in these sub~ects has virtually been
- discontinued. It is in mathematics and sciences that personnel are lacking and it
is these subjects that the majority (74 percent) of French instructors are teach-
ing. Among the unemployed are also some holders of degrees in, frankly, "exotic"
disciplines, for example crimino~ogy. One official said: "If only we could have
_ made him a police commissioner!"
- Inefficiency
The industrialists concluded that in the final analysis only 150 among them would
be suitable for specific ,job s in trade and industry, and depending on an inventory,
at that. It was necessary t o exclude those "graduates" with false diplomas (a
common traffic which Ivory C o ast authorities are trying to eliminate), and those
who have declared themselves unemployed because they want to change ~obs, while
already employed.
How is the situation likely t o develop in the longer term? It is hard to believe
that Ivory Coast will soon suffer from an excess of graduates, as has been the
case for several years in wea lthy countries. UNESCO's latest statistics annual
reports that in 1977 there were still only 133 students per 100,000 Ivory Coast
inhabitants, compared to 282 in Gabon, 366 in Morocco, 368 in Algeria, 454 in
Tunisia, and 1,368 in Egypt. But the education must also respond to the needs,
and the ~obs offered must be acceptable to the young graduates.
One can point to at least two problems in this regard. First, Ivorians seem to be
little attracted to teaching, particularly scientif ic subjects, although it is a
field in which there are Fren chmen to replace. Secondly, the generation which is
coming of age to seek empl.oyment will be less favored than its �predecessors by
the shortage of cadre. Gone is the time when one could be a direcror general or
ambassador at 30. An off icia 1 close to the president told us: "Our ambassadors
are 40. We are not going to retire them in order to appoint young people."
And in the private sector7 Are the French really ready to yield their positions?
For a clearer view, we asked French managers and staff what they thought of their
Ivorian colleagues. The fir s t conclusion: they all agree in saying that the
French are expensive and must be replaced as far as possibl~ with Ivorians. Second
conclusion: they have reservations, implicit or explicit, about the eff iciency of
Ivorian cadre: production ha s dropped in a certain factory where an ivorian fore-
man has replaced an expatria t e; in the banking sector--the sector most affected by
- " ivorization"--it has been necessary to readmit a large proportion of expatriates;
in another company a young Ivorian engineer has rapidly alienated all the personnel
of the factory...By digging a little, one learns that the reservations of the French
are quite precise and easy to describe.
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- First criticism, which echoes a warning often found in the speeches of Felix
Houphouet-Boigny: the reactions of the employee. Some new cadre have the impres-
sion that once they have their diploma in hand everything is done. They have only
to enjoy their sinecure.
Fear
Second criticism, which seems fundamental: difficulty of supervision. According
to the French, the Ivorian cadre reportedly are always afraid that the s~~bordinate
may be a brother, cousin, or friend of someone powerful who could harm them and
their family. We can thus better understand what is often the role of the French
cadre: a buffer between ivorians. Several Frenchmen have told us, in effect:
- they know I am neutral, that I act in relation to the interests of my management
or my enterprise, and that I have no ulterior motive, ethnic or political.
However, young Ivorian cadre do seem to handle better the problem of supervision
if they have been trained in the Ivory Coast, rather than spending several years
in France. We have been told that there is nothing worse than the work relations
of a young cadre assuming responsibility after having been completely cut off from
Ivorian society.
A final criticism--pertiaps the most serious consequence of a presence as large and
prolonged as the French--the Ivorian cadre are expensive. "They want to be paid
like the expatriates they are replacing and even to benefit from all that the
French have in addition to their salary: expatriation bonuses, housing, travel
to France, car..." The new empl~yees, particularly, are considered expensive.
"They want immediately the lifestyle that their family expects of a cadre," the
French explain.
In an economy which has great difficulty in being competitive in other than agri-
cultural products, such a high requirement by the cadre is a serious handicap.
Generally, it is to be feared that in tihe end the most negative effect of the
French presence may be to leave in the spirit of the Ivorian elite an excessive
tendency to imitate everything French. It is quite understandable that Ivorians
of ineans find air-conditioners very attractive. It is not only whites who feel
the heat. But the day when ivorian cadre will consider, like their French
~ colleagues, that there is no happiness on earth without a camembert or a good bot-
tle c~f Bordeaux, there will be little left of the exchange earnings from coffee
and cucoa.
COPYRIGHT: Jeune Afrique ~RUPJIA ~_981 ~
Opinions of Ivorian Cadre
� Paris JEUNE AFRIQUE in French No 1083, 7 Oct 81 p 37
[Text] With some 3,900 technical advisers (precise figure 3,976 in 1980, or one-
third of all French advisers throughout the world), Ivory Coast is the "largest
consumer" of French technicians in Africa. Far behind it come Senegal (1,300) then
- Cameroon, Gabon and Madagascar with 700 each. Among the technical advisers sta-
tioned in ivory Coast, teachers are in large majority (80 percent), and technical
training specialists predominate.
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What do Ivorian cadre think about this? A po"11 by Marcomer-Gallup International
for JEUNE AFRIQUE ECONOMIE, published in the first issue (October) of that monthly
reveals that Ivorians believe the (strong) presence of "cooperants" to be still
_ necessary in the technical and scientific field: 55 percent of those polled (of
a sample of 112 cadre in Abidjan and Bouake) gave this opinion. But the technical
field goes far beyond teaching: it includes the entire scientific and technologi-
cal sector. That is, in addition to teachers, the foreign operational technicians--
both researchers and engineers i.n industry or the latest technology--are still
"wanted" in ivory Coast.
On the other hand, the presence of "cooperants" is henceforth regarded as "undesir-
able" in the administration: 32 percent of Ivorian cadre favor their departure,
- and only 10 percent want them to remain. This attitude shows at least a serene
frame of mind toward the shortages of Ivory Coast: foreign technicians are still
wanted, but henceforth Ivorians can administer themselves.
COPYRIGHT: Jeune Afrique GRUPJIA 1981.
9920
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MADAGASCAR
- MITTERRAND,RATSIRAKA INAUGURATE NEW RELATIONSHIP
- Paris AFRIQUE-ASIE in French No 250, 12 Oct 81 pp 13-14
[Article by Simon Malley: "Ratsiraka in Paris: What Really Happened"]
[Text] It was a Didier Ratsiraka with face beaming and eyes shining with that
hope, that optimism in the future of his country that never leaves him who said
- "au revoir" to President Francois Mitterrand on 30 September at the conclusion of
their official talks at the Elysee. What passed between the two heads of state
during their long conversation? Did they succeed in establishing what they both
- desired, a dialogue of a permanent nature, friendly, frank, sincere and productive,
ir: full awareness that the whole relationship between France and the African
_ states on the Indian Ocean depends on such a dialogue, particularly in view of
Madagascar's strategic position in the area?
Bef~re receiving President Ratsiraka, Francois Mitterrand had studied the Malagasy
- file at length. He had already met his guesty who had visited him during one of
his recent trips t~ Paris (in the Giscard era).
The Scattered Islands
He was aware of his guest's considerable public prestige among the nonaligned
countries, especially the progressive and revolutionary regimes of Africa, the
Arab world, Asia and Latin America, since he had taken care to question and l~sten
to all th~se who knew him well in order to gain a clear impression of the man, his
deeper motivation~, and the problems which preoccupy the political, economic, and
sacial scene of the island. FrancoisMitterrand was fully up to date on the
numerous attempts at destabilization, sabotage, and plots concocted by various
~ power groups, including elements of the French Rightwing in collusion with Malagasy
_ reactionary political elements. In President Miterrand's view, the campaign
orchestrated by part of the French press against the Malagasy regime was both
remotely controlled by a strong anti-Malagasy lobby rooted in Reunion and in some
sectors of French management and inspired, if not financed, by all who felt that
the Ratsiraka regime threatened their neocolonial interests. In su~ary, if the
ob~ective of ti~e several press articles--in which distortion of facts competed
with calumny, and which were published on the same day as the Mitterrand-Ratsiraka
meeting--was to harm French-Malagasy relations, then one can affirm without fear
of contradiction that the purpose was not achieved. Quite the contrary. This
mini-campaign amused the two heads of state, who know the source and,the originators.
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In fact, it had an opposite effect to that desired: "If the Right was trying to
torpedo our meeting, this means that we are on the right road...," they said. The
discussions indeed began with favorable prospects. One of President Mitterrand's
close advisers confided to us: "It was almost as if a kind of osmosis occurred
the moment the two leaders shook hands."
- Three main problems confronted the two presidents, who at the outset by mutual
agreement had decided to turn a page in the relations which had prevailed between
Madagascar and France since Didier Ratsirnl;a's assumption of power in 1975: "Rela-
tions constantly clouded by mis~udged intentions, unfounded accusations, and
unjustified criticisms directed by some rightwing and extreme rightwing French
elements against the government of the Democratic Republic of Madagascar, committed
to its socialist course."
It was a question, f irst of all, within the framework of the well-elaborated geo-
political vision of both parties, to agree on an overall strategy for the medium
and long term. How, for example could the policy of socialist France fit into
_ the context of the rivalries and covetousness of which the Indian Ocean is today
both the stake and the target? In Didier Ratsiraka's view, no one can remain
equivocal on this issue. Madagascar can be regarded as one of the countries most
faithful to nonalignment, both in the area and the African continent as a whole.
Not only has it never agreed to grant bases to any foreign power, and refused to
allow naval ships of the superpowers to dock in its ports, but it persists in
stressing forcefully that its priority program--to transform the Indian Ocean into
_ a"zone of peace," demilitarized, denuclearized--is a full exprsssion of its
- inflexible will to preserve, develop, and strengthen the independence and
sovereignty of its own country as well as contributing to that of the other coastal
states. Has it not resumed its pilgrim task to convi.nce these states of the neces-
sity of an international conference to ensure Indian Ocean security? Has not this
will impelled it to raise, once again, the issue of the scattered islands (Europa,
Bassa de India, Juan de Nova, Glorieuses and Tromelin), which are still under French
jurisdiction despite the numerous UN and OAU resolutions calling for their return
to Madagascar, of which they are an integral part?
Said Ratsiraka: "Since we are still poor, what do we have but our dignity and our
sovereignty to protect and defend?" Impressed by these views expressed by his
_ guest with such conviction, Francois Mitterrand did not hesitate, answering in
effect: "The return of these islands to Madagascar is part of the program of the
Socialist Party and government. All our commitments will be honored... We are ready
to promptly open negotiations on this sub,ject..."
"Al.l-Around" Cooperation
The issue of French-Malagasy cooperation, which had already been discussed at length
by President Ratsiraka, Minister of External Relations Claude Cheysson, and the
minister delegate for cooperation and development, Jean-Pierre Cot, did not present
any insurmountable obstacle. Given Fraacois Mitterrand`s conviction that for
_ socialist France cooperation must benefit both partners, that it is not a matter
of viewing cooperation as "aid" or a"gift" but something that inevitably involves
a return, the French Government plans to develop by all possible means its policy
- of cooperation with Madagascar to help it overcome its economic and financial
problems. The goal is to end the pressures and blackmail by some international
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bodies which view "cooperation" only in terms of profitability for the indus-
trialized, developed power.s. For example, if Madagascar experiences this year an
unexpected fall in coffee prices* which warms the hearts of international
speculators--, how could France's cooperation policy inaugurated by Jean-Pi~rre
Cot contribute to easing the effects? Here also, an agreement in principle was
soon reached by the two heads of state: Paris and A.~tananarivo will begin
_ negotiations as soon as possible to reach a new "all-around" cooperation agreement
which would revise radically all the agreements signed with the Giscard government.
One significant and revealing aspect of the atmosphere at the 30 September meeting:
At no time did President Mitterrand try to raise the issue ~f Madagascar's alleged
dependence on one or another camp. He said: "Whatever your difficulties, I know
that you have succeeded in keeping your country as far as possible from the
rivalries which continue to surface in this vital area of the world..."
And Libya?
- There was, finally, the key problem of the political situation on the African
continent, of which the Malagasy president gave an overall review. Not wishing
to serve as the apologist for this or that country, or this or that political
- regime, he was concerned that the president not be misled by anyone regarding his
own analysis of the events affecting the continent. And, even if Libya remains a
- "cause for concern" to Paris, Ratsiraka affirmed his belief--shared, basically, by
President Mitterrand himself, as he clearly indicated in his Riyadh press confer-
ence--that the disinformation campaigr. directed at Madagascar also affects other
countries, some of which have been trying to distort the policy or exaggerate the
a1leFed aims or ambitions. Having previously talked at length to President
Qadhdhafi, Ratsiraka said he was convinced that the Libyan leader is willing to
withdraw his troops from Chadian territory whenever President Goukouni, recognized
by the OAU as sole interim president of Chad, requests their withdrawal. Also, did
not the victory of the French Left on 10 May, hailed by Qadhdhafi, give Francois
Mitterrand the opportunity to try to establish a direct dialogue with Tripoli?
And might not President Ratsiraka be the intermediary for this? Since he is
respected by both sides, the Elysee is seriously studying the role he might play
in this respect. The Elysee is aware that he is perhaps the only one among the
progressive African leaders who could assume this important responsibility.
" But that is not all. A multitude of other regional and international problems
were reviewed and sometimes debated with the passionate conviction of "men of the
Left" by Miterrand and Ratsiraka, who plan other meetings. The Malagasy head of
state has issued an o�ficial invitation to his counterpart to visit Madagascar.
Confidences were exchanged, and secret decisions made. Not all have been made
known. At any rate, we can say that for the Malagasy people there will be new and
pleasant surprises.
- *The price per pound of coffee, which rose to $1.15 in 1980, has today fallen to
about 65 cents.
COPYRIGHT: 1981 Afrique-Asie
9920
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- MADAGASCAR
AUSTRIAN LOANS TO FUND DISTILLERY FOR ALCOHOL FUEL FROM SUGAR
Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French No 1872, 25 Seg 81 p 2457
_ [Text) At the beginning of September an agreement was signed in Antanar~arivo
between officials of SIRAMA (Malagasy National Sugar Corporation) and a delegation
of the Austrian corporation VEW (Vereinigte Edelstahlwerke AG) on expansion of
SIRAMA operations to production of alcohol fuel.
The agreement concerns specifically a pro~ect for a distillery at Ambilobe. The
Ambilobe sugarmill, which has a production capacity of 60,000 tons of sugar per
year, exported thus far about 24,000 tons in the form of molasses at rather vari-
able prices. SIRAMA decided to profit from the by-product, and the yeast unit has
been using 2,000 tons of molasses per year. The remaining 22,000 tons will in
future be processed by a distillery to produce alcohol fuel. The planned capacity
is 600 hectoliters of alcohol at 100 degrees per day, producing 150 days a year,
that is, an annual production of 90,000 hectoliters. The quantity of molasses now
available will permit production of about 70,000 hectoliter.s per year. An expan-
sion of the sugarmill's production capacity (already planned) will make it possible
to reach 90,000 hectoliters. The distillery can also operate more than the men-
tioned 150 days by treating other agricultural products, manioc for example.
The investment necessary to establish the distillery is estimated at 2.2 billion
Malagasy francs, of which 1.7 billion in equipment will be covered by a commercial
contract between SIRAMA and VEW, and the remaining 500 million will be civil engi-
neering work by SIRt1MA. The financing of the equipment is provided by the agreement
signed at the beginning of September for two Austrian loans: 400 million Malagasy
francs repayable in 25 years, w~ith deferral of 13 years, at 2 percent, and 1.1 mil-
_ lion repayable in 11 years, with deferral of 3'~ years, at 6.5 percent. These low
interest rates and long repayment periods were obtained thar.ks to the assistance of
- the Austrian Government. The pro~ect will go into operati4n at the end of 1983.
COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux at Cie Paris 1981.
9920
CSO: 4719/120
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~
MADAGASCAR
NEW FERTILIZER PLANTS TO SATISFY DCMESTIC NEEDS
Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French No 1875,16 Oct 81 p 2643
[Text] Malagasy agriculture lacks fertilizer. This is pointed out by a study pub-
lished by the daily MADAGASCAR-MATIN, which statES that the forecasts f or fertilizer
use in the 1981-1�82 agricultural campaign are sane 10,000 tons, whereas 70,000 tons
would have to be used in order to make it possible to produce the 200,000 additional
tons of white rice which the country is obliged to import.
If the peasants are prepared to use fertilizer, it w~oulci be preferable, the newspaper
writes, ta import 70,000 tons of fertilizer, rather than 200,000 tons of rice. But
the problem is not so simple. The fertilizers used at present are often provided in
the f orm of gifts and then delivered to the peasants at reasonable prices, which are
nonetheless high for them, all the more since the habit of using fertilizers has not
yet become normal practice. It is only since 1963 that mineral fertilizers have
begun to be used in the traditional peasant environment, with the operation "rice pro-
duction." Subsequently, a rather marked increase was experienced, and in 1971-1972,
- fertilizer use in Madagascar reached 14,000 tons of NPK (that is, 1.7 kilograms per
inhabitant as against an average of 100 kilograms in Europe, or 5 kilograms per
hectare as against a world average of 47.4 kilograms). Consumption then diminished,
to pick up again since 1976: from 5,000 tons in 1980, it is expected to go to 10,000
tons in 1981-1982.
Thus, a national plan f or fertilizer production was set in operation, involving xn the
first stage, two plants: chemical fertilizers at Toamasina and organic-biological
fertilizers at Amboasary.
Construction of the Ze-Ren fertilizer plant at Toamasina is making good progress, and
on 22 September, 80 percent of the civil engineering c~rk was finished, and 75 per-
cent of the plant equipment installed. Let us recall that the ammonia unit is being
- provided by Austria, the urea unit by Canac3a, and the rest of the equipment by~the
Federal Republic of Germany, among o~thers. The plant is being built by the American
group N-Ren International, Ltd., associated with the Malagasy State (75 percent for
the latter). The first stone of the Toamasina plant was laid at the end of December
1978. With investments of s ane 4 billion Malagasy francs, the Ze-Ren plant in Toamasina
(which is also called Famokarana Zezika Toamasina in Madagascar) will have a pro-
duction capacity of 90,000 tons of urea per year. It will use, in particular,
petroleum products (naphtha and fuel oil) provided by Solima.
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J
_4~7
The other fertilizer plant, that of Zezika Malagasy (Zema), is on the way to completion
- at Amboasary. Like Ze-Ren, it will begin production at the beginning of next year.
Constructed with Franco-Malagasy financing (the Central Treasury in particular) of
s ane 2 billion Malagasy francs by the Engineering and Management Works Company (STEG,
a French company), the plant will process local raw materials based on sisal, algae~
and dol ~nite wastes; it will be able to deliver same 22,000 tons of organic-biological
fertilizers per year with one 8-hour shift per day and double that with two shifts.
Let us add that Madagascar is also considering using, later on, phosphates from the
i small islands off Maintirano, based on sea bird wastes, or manufacturing fertilizer
fran cattle bones, which are abundant but which would be difficult to oollect.
- COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981
- 9434
CSO: 4719/131
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MADAGASCAR
BRIEFS
SOYA ENTERPRISE--Soya is soon to be grown on an industrial scale in Antananarivo
f.aritany with the establishment of the Mamisoa socialist enterprise for soya
development in Moyen-Ouest, Betafo region. Begun last year in Amparihy-Fenomanana
fokontany, Mandoto firaisamp~kontany, the soya-growing experiments have been com-
pleted and expansion work will begin this year. Mamisoa will not limit itself to
soya culture, but also grow other crops such as maize and manioc which are neces-
sary to animal diet. This year, 1,070 hectares of soya are to be developed, though
Betafo fivondronana by itself is not interested in such a large operation. Indeed,
in the next few years Mamisoa will al~o work in the fivondronana of Tsiroanomandidy
and Soavinandirana. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French
No 1872, 25 Sep 81 p 2457] (COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981J 9920
_ CSO: 4719/120
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_ MAURITIUS
CLOSER BUSINESS COOPERATION WITH REUNION DISCUSSED
Paris AFRIQUE-ASIE in Frencli No 250, 12 Oct 81 pp XX-XXII
/Article by special carres~:~ndent Dorothee Durban: "Uncertain Economic
Future Seen"%
[TextJ The general development of the situation in the Indian
Ocean points to the need for rapprochement among the islands,
- but there are numerous inhibiting factors, both political and
economic.
In April 1981 meetings were held in Mauritius of professionals from Mauritius and
Reunion. The meetings were organized by the chambers of commerce and industry and
the principal managemer.t groups of the two islands. Also present were the French
embassy commercial attache, the representative of the European communities' delega-
tion to Mauritius, as well as government representatives only from Mauritius.
Attending were 35 prominent persons from socio-economic sectors in Reunion,
received by a larger number of Mauritians.
The last meeting of this kind was held in 1969, ,just after Mauritian independence.
This "establishment of contact," this "exploration," as Charles Isautier, president
of the Reunion chamber of commerce and industry, put it, was intended to benefit
the sister islands, a cooperation long sought by all the island's political organi-
zations and recently encouraged by Claude Cheysson during his tour of the area,
while still commissioner for development of the EEC. It was also with his encourage-
ment that the meeting, for which the initiative came from the economic representa-
tives of the two islands, took shape. During his latest trip in the Indian Ocean
area, Claude Cheysson said: "Don't turn your back on the region! Unite against
- those who come to invade your fishing zones! Organize, economically and
politically, to manage and control these zones! Develop ydur scientific, technical
and political relations! History has woven ties between you, and you for.m a com-
pact geographic and strategic area. Europe is ready to help you! It has consider-
able means which can be made available to you..."
There has been trade between the ~.slands for a long time, though without lt reaching
a level.of importance, since it is only 3 percent of Rauni~~n's trade balance, and
Mauritius is only the 16th trading partner.
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End Mutual Ignorance
In 1979 Reunion imported from Mauritius 4,800 tons of inerchandise worth 17.864 bil-
= lion francs and exported to it 1,521 tons worth 6.349 billion. The bulk of the
imbalance is due to import of clothing, fertilizer, and paper.
The organizers of the meetings had set as goals: to exchange ideas, identify areas
in which cooperation could be started or developEd between Mauritian and Reunion
professionals, study measures to be taken to promote this cooperation, and, finally,
to make concre~e proposals for action. On conclusion of the discussions, both
sides felt that the result had been positive, though they did not foresee immediate
_ results. The final communique said that despite the indisputable historical and
cultural ties the similarity of the economies, both basically sugar, considerably
reduced the possibilities for cooperatian and trade. The communique added that the
very strongly marked vertical relations--with France for Reunion, and Great Britain
for Mauritius--and mutual ignorance regarding the capabilities and needs of each
island constituted a signif icant hindrance to possibilities for cooperation between
the two small island entities, although their future can only be seen as one of
cooperation.
The participants were also prudent in their conclusions and suggestions worked out
in the four committees: tourist cooperation, inter-island communications, supply
of services and investment. In each committee th~re was emphasis on the need to
1 get to know the neighbor better, to put an end to "mutual ignorance of the particular
capabilities and needs of each island."
In regard to tourism, it is certainly Reunion which stood to gain from zhe sugges-
tions made, since it has only one-sixth the number of visitors to Mauritius. A
matter of prices and attractions. The committee proposed that they launch promotion
of a joint package offer for the two destinations, while adjusting prices, that is,
to break the Air France monopoly.
The committee on inter-island communications called for a unified tariff system for
port services, coordination of airline schedules, and improvement of telephone
services.
- The committee on exchanges concerning supply of services envisaged formation of a
joint economic data bank and increased education exchanges: retraining sessions,
lectures, joint education activities, etc.
But it was in the last committee on investments that the most important decisions
for the future and for cooperation betwEeri the two islands were made. This commit-
� tee was also the best attended and obviously the sub~ect of more interest. What
, goals did this committee formulate? That Reunion entrepreneurs gain maximum bene-
fit from the opportunities offered them to Join in the Mauritian free zone. That
labor-intensive production be carried out in Mauritius, where conditions are
- clearly advantageous--a way of saying that they are more exploited--compared to
Reunion. Finally, that industries be created, "on the basis of mixed financial
participation," or be developed to supply the market of each island. After reading
these resolution, one can foresee what will happen. Reunion capital, but par-
_ ticularly French capital via Reunion, will go to invest in the Mauritius free zone,
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,
assured of finding inexpensive labor, and lower operating and service costs. More-
over, Mauritius offers a deep-water port with 400 meters of piers, which Reunion
will not be able to offer until 1984, and an international airport linked by direct
flight to all major world centers (London, Sydney, Johannesburg, Paris, Rome,
Frankfurt, Bombay, and Taiwan).
If this turns out to be the logical uutcome of the proposals made during the ~eet-
ings, and there is very reason to think it will, then the Reunion people will once
again be both purchasers and consumers, when it is the production capacities of the
island which must be developed to ease the unemployment. This reasoning can even
apply to those areas where cooperation appears eminently profitable for the two
sides: computer science, for example. Sharing of tasks could follow exactly the
preference stated by the chairman of the Mauritian chamber of commerce and industry:
"Reunion, which is impressive for its fine infrastructure, modern equipment, and
quality of human resources, could contribute its advanced technology, while
Mauritius would provide its industrial experien~e and its abundant, intelligent
and significantly cheaper labor." In this field, Mauritius is still in its
infancy, with only one-quarter the computer inventory of Reunion. But what does
the committee propose? Aid and training of Mauritian computer experts, but
especially establishment of companies for common services in the Mauritian free
zone. Again, the immediate interest of the Reunion capitalists gets precedence.
What will result from the suggestions put forward at this meeting? The secretary
general of the chamber of employers said on his return to Reunion: "The most
interesting results can be expected at the level of export of services, in train-
ing, studies, computers, telecommunications and meteorology. We must be very
modest, and not spend time wondering how we can sell, to countries with limited
purchasing power, things we are not Pven yet producing."
Beyond this initial conclusion, delegation members expressed the hope that similar
talks can be opened between the Seychelles and Madagascar, in order to genuinely
launch the process of creating an Indian Ocean "Common Market." But there are
- many problems. There are certainly problems of a political nature, since the idea
of cooperation witY~ the leaders of the Seychelles or Madagascar has thus far not
aroused any enthusiasm on the part of the Mauritian or Reunion authorities. But
the general evolution of the situation in the Indian Ocean argues in favor of such
rapprochements, and it is known that Reunion economic circles and a significant
element of the local bourgeoisie are ready for them.
Heavy Guardianship
Another important problem is France's tutelage over its Indian Ocean department;
thus far a totally ~tatic guardianship in respect to relations with Mauritius.
Charles Isautier, chairman of the Reunion Chamber of Commerce and Industry, says
frankly: France's assistance is in this area mor~ of a handicap than anything
else, like, paradoxically--and the contradiction is interesting--, the maze of
- economic and financial regulations which constitute Reunion's status as a French
department. However, the problems are little different for Mauritius, which still
depends on its former powerful guardian.
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Is France prepared, today, to support implementation of the proposals which came
_ out of the fteunion-Mauritius prof essional meetings? One would doubt it under the
_ former regime, sin.ce the seventh French-Mauritian mixed commission, which met
14-16 April in Port Louis, failed to include Reunion delegates. This was not well
received on the island., France has granted a gift of 80 million rupees to Mauritius
for infrastructure projects, rural development, and improvement of information and
health. Speciffcally, it will participate in financing the Phoenix-Mahebourg high-
way, equip the Mauritian meteorological service with a satellite image receiver,
and finance three projects for Rodrigues: set up a property register, construct
fishe~en's housing, and improve health services. The other projects involve
diversif ication of agriculture and food production generally. In the latter f ield,
the Mauritian efforts rave been very signif icant. The government has decided to
make a general practice o~ establishing feeding enclosures for cattle and deer, with
intensive use of maize produced locally between the rows of.sugarcane, and by-
products of the sugar industry, pith of bagasse and molasses; to likewise increase
the production potential of vegetables, fruit, and flowers; and to develop
mechanized fishing and production of camaron, free tortoise and tilapia.
These efforts will be accompanied by a series of other measures: increase in energy
production by sugarmills, enabling a saving of 95,000 tons of petroleum per year;
production of ethanol from molasses to be used for fuel, of which the initial tests
have been promising; establishment of a small business bureau to help create jobs
in the rural area; general introduction of a third shift to establish round-the-
clock operation in the free zone, and increase Mauritian manufacturing production
= by 30 percent, thus creating more jobs; establishment of a zone for export of
= services: "offshore banking," a bureau of consultants ta create jobs in the
tertiary sector.
_ A11 these measures should be underway in 1982 and are likely to prom~te a renewed
growth in the Mauritian economy.
COPYRIGHT: 1981 Afrique-Asie
9920
CSO: 4719/121
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N~GER
BRIEFS
BEI POW~R PLANT LOAN--In the f ramework of the Second Lome Convention, the European In-
vestment Bank [BEI] , a banking instituti.on of the Euxopean Corwnunity for long-tern
financing, has granted a loan equivalent to 10 million ECUs [European currency unit]
(3 billion CFA francs) to buil d the second stage of the Anou-Araren coal-burning
thermal power plant. This proj ect involves an additional 16-megawatt unit primarily
intended to provide power to the nearby uranium mines. The power plant, where a
first unit (also a 16-megawatt unit) recently went into operation, will burn local
coal thus cutting back on the use of imported oil ancl offering a greater guarantee
to the supply of electrical power for ihe uranium industry and the local population.
The loan was granted to the Anou-Araren Coal Company of Niger (SONICHAR) for a period
~ of 16 years and at an interest rate of 8 percent, taking into account the interest
' discount on the resources of the European Development Fund. SONICHAR is a stock
company created in 1977 in which the Nigerian State hold 66 percent of the stock in
partnership with the Islamic D evelopment Bank and the companies operating the uranium
mines. The total estimated cost of the second unit is 25 million CFA francs and this
unit is expected to start operating during 1982. The project will be carried out
with te~hnical assistance provided by the French Electric Power Company (EDF). The
African Development Bank, the Central Fund for Economic Development, the Abu Dhabi
F'und and the Government of Nigeria will help finance this expansion project. [Text]
[Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French No 1874,16 Oct 81 p 2626]
[COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981] 8796
EDUCATIONAL STATISTICS--Tn Nig~r~ where 90 percent of the adult population is illiter-
ate, 260,000 children are attending primary school and 33,000 secondary school as the
_ new school year has started, according to figures issued by the Ministry of National
Education. The school attend ance rate in Niger is about 20 percent and the figures
issued for the new school year show that 11,934 children started 6th grade this year,
- an increase of 36.8 percent over the figures for the 1980-1981 school year. This
year, 1,486 students will take their examination at the end of secondary school. Ni-
ger, where important budget allocations are assigned to education and to the literacy
campaign, is facing a serious shortage of teachers and only 57 percent of its teach-
ers are Nigerian nationals. [Text] [Paris MARCHES 'rROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in
French No 1874,16 Oct 81 p 2626] [COPYRIGHT; Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981] 8796
EDF ROAD FINANCING--The Europe an Development Fund [EDF] will provide 16.22 million
- ECUs to help finance work on the Roumdji-Tchadaoua road and on the Zinder-Mirriah
road. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French No 1874?16 Oct 81
_ p 2626] (COPYP.IGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981] 8796
CSO: 4719/144
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SENEGAL .
BRIEFS
SAED'S RICE, TOMATO PRODUCTION---Serigne Lamine Diop, Senegal~s minister of rural de-
velopment, kho visited the peanut growing region in September, traveled to the Fleuve
_ region at the beginning of October and visited, in particular, the irrigated areas
of the SAED (Company for the Development and Exploitation of the Delta). Thi~ visit
coinc~des with a change in the status of the SAED which is no longer a public concern
but a national company. Explaining the reasons for the change, the minister of rural
development said that, in the future, the president-director general will have elbow
room to manage his company. It *.�:ill be easier to finance agricultural programs be-
cause they will no longer be sub~ected to a priori control. The government, which
has just signed a planning contract with the company, has promised to provide it
with sufficient funds. The company, for its part, has committed itself to produce
50,000 tons of rice in 3 years' time. This represents the amount of rice consumed in
the country in 2 months, Three years from now, the tomato production is expected to
be 60,000 tons, which represents the country's overall consumption. [Text] [Paris
MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French No 187G, 16 Oct 81] [COPYRIGHT: Rene
Moreux et Cie Paris 1981] 8796
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TANZANIA
BRIEFS
NEW INTERNAL TRADE REGULATIONS--Tanzanian Minister of Commerce Ali Mohumo announced
in Masasi, on 9 October, that as of this coming November the Regional Trading Compan-
ies (RTC) of Tanzania must order their goods directly from Tanzanian industrialists
by a system of credit. The RTCs, located in areas far from industrial centers,
- must pay for their orders through the National Bank of Commerce (NBC) 45 days after
delivery. For the regions where the industries are located, payment will be made
15 days after delivery. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French
No 1874,16 Oct 81 p 2641] [COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981] 8796
EDF WATER SUPPLY GRANT--The European Development Fund [EDF] will provide a grant of
5 million ECUs [European currency unit] for the water supply of Ntwara, a coastal
town in southern Tanzania. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in
French No 1874,16 Oct 81 p 2641] [COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981] 8796
CSO: 4719/146
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ZAMBIA
BRIEFS
INCREASE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY---The increase of crimes recently reported in Zambia has
made the Lusaka authorities react. Thus, the secretary of state for defense and se-
curity, Zulu, has asked the police to increase their patrols on the borders. In addi-
tion to this step, the inspector general of the Zambian Police, Fabiano Chela, told
the press on 2 October, in Lusaka, that some "influential people" and Zambian "lead-
ers" were using "various methods" to encourage crime, including bribery of police
officials. Referring to these "leaders", he said: "Not only they do not cooperate
in the fight against crime, but they also actually engage in activities which demor- ~
alize those who are actively fighting crime." As part of the fight against crime,
~ particularly in the Copperbelt region, it has been decided that from now on bars will
close at 1800 hours in Ndola. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in
French No 1874,16 Oct 81 p 2641] [COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981] 8796
AUTOMOBILE PLANT CLOSURE--A spokesman for the Zambian state holding company INDESCO
(Industrial Development Corporation) announced in Lusaka, on 1 October, that the
board of directors had decided to close the engine assembly plant in Livingstone un-
ti1 further notice. The reason behind this move is that the company does not have
the foreign exchange needed to import spare parts and components to keep the plant
working. The plant closed on 19 August this year and 150 workers were laid off at
half-pay while waiting for spare parts to be imported. The original plan was to
have some work done in the plant while it was closed to diversify its production.
That plan was abandoned for lack of foreign exchange. INDESCO has also announced that
it had found financial partners to build an ethanol plant near the Nakambala sugar
plantation. Construction work was scheduled to start in 1982. Under a contract
worth 12 million kwachas signed with Austria last May, that country was supposed to
build the plant. But when the Zambian side failed to fulfill its commitments, Aus-
tria was forced to denounce the contract. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDI-
TERRANEENS in French No 1874,16 Oct 81 p 2642] [COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris
i981] 8796 ~
CSO: 4719/146 END
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