Traore Alassane
Moussa Djabate
MGS 4499 Capstone
Do you think we should let the growth of the informal economy continue or should we stop
it?
The informal economy also named as informal sector or grey economy is the part of
any economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government. Here in Cote
D’Ivoire, the majority of the population are working in the informal sector. According to
“Situation économique et financière – CÔTE D’IVOIRE | Direction générale du Trésor
(economie.gouv.fr)” the informal employment account for 90% of the Ivorian workforce and
the informal economy account for 30 to 40% of the GDP. Knowing that the informal
economy plays a big role in the overall economy of Cote D’Ivoire, should we let the growth
of the informal economy continue or should we stop it? That’s the question we’re going to
respond to.
In Cote D’Ivoire, the majority of the population are not educated. In 2000, it was
estimated that only 48.7% of the total population was literate (60.8% of males and 38.6% of
females), meaning it is very difficult for an average Ivorian individual to find a job in the
formal sector. Almost half of the Ivorian population live below the national poverty line of
737 CFA per day (1.1 EUR). Also, according to the world bank, the average number of
children per family in Cote d’Ivoire border on 4.649 children per family which is in
comparison with an average American family who has 1.73 children per family high meaning
the average Ivorian family have many children that they have to take care of them and
