Reform of the water sector in Ivory Coast: what role for ONEP?

The drinking water sector in Côte d’Ivoire faces several major challenges: the water needs of the population are far from being met by the public service and require the community to make considerable investment efforts and the arrival of new producers is shaking up the institutional landscape. Furthermore, 2024 is the year of renewal of the contract of SODECI, historic private operator, and of the signing of a ‘concession’ contract for ONEP, which will ratify its role in the management of the infrastructure which is in progress to be transferred to him.

Public authorities must move forward on all levels: institutional, technical, financial, etc. An ambitious reform of the water sector is necessary, and the National Drinking Water Office (ONEP) is at the heart of this transformation. ONEP is called upon to redefine its missions: from its historical role of assistance to project management, the Office must encompass key missions such as the sustainable management of hydraulic assets and the technical and financial planning of sectoral investments.

ONEP entrusted Phoenix with the assessment of the current dynamics of the water sector and the outline of recommendations for the future.

Investment needs in water infrastructure will require continued commitment from the authorities in this sector. The tensions on public finances require great caution in the management of financing.

The financial component of this reform requires an evolution of the funds in place (FNE and FDE) and securing the resources of ONEP.

Also, the success of the sectoral reform must go through an internal transformation of ONEP: from administrative type management, it must tend towards results-oriented management and, to do this, should organize itself like a company of engineering.