BRVM makes trades pay for investors across Africa

Q+A: Edoh Kossi Amenounve

Editor's note: The Bourse Regional des Valeur Mobilieres is a regional stock exchange based in Abidjan listing equities for Cote d'Ivoire and seven other West African nations, enabling investors to make pan-regional trades. Edoh Kossi Amenounve, general manager of BRVM, explains the bourse's rising role in Africa to The Business Report's David Lozano.

What is BRVM's role in African finance?

As the largest financial center of francophone West Africa, Abidjan is the gateway to a booming region that is reflected on the BRVM.

In 2015, our stock exchange was the best performing (one) in Africa, finishing the year with a 17.7 percent increase on our composite index, largely due to strong economic growth in Cote d'Ivoire and across the West African Economic and Monetary Union.

This performance has positioned BRVM among the most important stock exchanges on the continent.

When can investors expect large initial public offerings?

The Ivorian government has called for the increased privatization of national companies. Some major banks are now in the process of privatization, but this can take several years for larger companies, such as Cote d'Ivoire Telecom.

What does BRVM's growth signal for the region?

Our bourse's performance reflects the success of regional integration and the stability of the monetary union of WAEMU countries, namely, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.

Contact the writer at david@the-businessreport.com

(China Daily 08/08/2016 page26)