The Ivorian economy has taken a decisive step towards modernizing its private sector. In parliamentary committee, members of parliament adopted two major bills aimed at propelling Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to the forefront of national growth.

A modernized legal framework for "National Champions"

The first bill, championed by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Ibrahim Kalil Konaté , replaces an outdated 2014 law. This reform introduces profound structural changes:

1. Harmonisation of statutes: A clarified definition of SMEs to facilitate their administrative management.
2. Inclusion of mid-sized companies: The official integration of mid-sized companies into support policies.
3. Financial support: The creation of a dedicated fund to support companies towards the emergence of true "national champions" by 2030.

End of fragmentation: A stronger One-Stop Shop

The second bill ratifies the reorganization of the GUDE-PME (Single Window for SME Development). The objective is clear: to streamline the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

"It is no longer a question of juxtaposing structures, but of building a coherent system," Minister Konaté insisted.

This reform is accompanied by a major innovation: the creation of an observatory designed to measure the real impact of public policies, thus guaranteeing results-oriented management.

A parliamentary consensus tinged with vigilance

Although the members of the Economic and Financial Affairs Committee (CAEF) unanimously approved these texts, some did not fail to express their expectations.

1. The financing challenge: The PDCI-RDA group reiterated that access to credit remains the key issue for entrepreneurs.
2. On-the-ground implementation: The Agir group stressed that the quality of implementation will be the only true test of these reforms.

In summary

Objective	Strategic lever
Competitiveness	Update of the framework law (SMEs and mid-sized companies).
Efficiency	Centralization of services via the GUDE-PME.
Transparency	Assessment of impacts via the new Observatory.

These reforms demonstrate the State's commitment to making SMEs the backbone of a more robust and job-creating Ivorian economy for years to come.