2017 MARRAKECH (MOROCCO), 2018 KIGALI (RWANDA), 2019 TUNIS (TUNISIA), THE YEARS OF PERSUASION FOR THE ADOPTION OF OPEN I

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These three years in the history of African Insurance have been marked by strong resolutions in favor of OPEN INNOVATION.

The flagship resolution of the Moroccan conference; whose theme chosen for this General Assembly was "New regulatory issues and operational challenges: what strategy for insurance" was worded as follows: "On the principle of the digitalization of African Insurance: the General Assembly retains the principle of the digitalization of African Insurance within a simple lebanon mobile database framework (..) and which must take into account the interests of policyholders. However, in view of the costs that this could generate, the General Assembly invites the regulator to encourage technological MUTUALIZATION allowing digitalization"; Recommendation that Ivory Coast will apply 3 years later... through the international call for tenders launched for the digitalization of the sector.

Also in the same vein of strong recommendations, the work of Kigali and Tunis went in the same direction as that of Marrakech, that is to say, accentuating collaborations in the era of disruptions.

It should also be noted that the conclusions of the work of the Cotonou market forums of 2018 "Distribution of Insurance in the FANAF area: a model to be rethought" and of Douala of 2019 "Rereading of the CIMA treaty: what directions for our markets after 25 years of implementation?" have also persuaded the ecosystem to opt for closer collaborations between actors in research into solutions, particularly at the levels of management practices and the regulatory framework in order to adapt to new technological challenges.

2020: IVORY COAST HEARSES THE CALL OF FANAF AND THE REGULATOR CIMA AND DEFINITIVELY ADOPTS OPEN INNOVATION

The year 2020, the year of emergence so desired by most African states, marks the beginning of a new dynamic for players in the insurance market in Côte d'Ivoire through the adoption of OPEN INNOVATION.

After reducing uncertainty about this innovation by FANAF through its annual meetings and market forums, Côte d'Ivoire is taking the step of adopting this management model so popularized by FANAF and recommended by CIMA.

According to this innovation model, companies that are usually competitors collaborate on projects where they do not benefit from a specific competitive advantage, but where they can share complementary resources or common costs to achieve their objectives.

It is exactly this model advocated by FANAF between 2014 and 2020 and supported by the regulator that Côte d'Ivoire Insurance has decided to adopt.

Indeed, players in the insurance market in Côte d'Ivoire have pooled resources (financial, material, and human) to implement a joint project to digitize vehicle registration. This unique project is one of the most structuring in the entire CIMA zone and, consequently, in Africa as a whole.

2023: KINSHASA (DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO) THE OUTLOOK IS GOOD FOR CONTRACT BENEFICIARIES AND INSURANCE PLAYERS, ESPECIALLY FINTECHS

A NEW ERA OPENS FOR THE INSURANCE SECTOR

In the open forum of your colleague Jeune Afrique in its February 2023 issue, Mr. Ridha Meftah (partner at EY responsible for consulting services for the financial sector in French-speaking Africa) explained "why African insurers must use open innovation."

Without a doubt, with this major innovation for the insurance sector in Ivory Coast, we will certainly see an emulation in the Fintechs sector, which will offer very innovative products and services for insurers who will certainly demand more.

Thus, through the development of more innovative insurance products and services via digital technology, the insurance penetration rate, the settlement of premiums and the payment of claims will undoubtedly become old problems.

Let us therefore hope that with this innovation, Mr. Adje Evariste, a fervent defender of the rights of the insured, will not go "Sleeping in Libreville; Title of his latest work" to demand the rights of victims.

In any case, I remain convinced that the two key players in the insurance market, the President of ASACI and the Director of Insurance, will spare no effort to protect the rights of victims.

Before the end of this look at the actions undertaken by the insurance sector in Ivory Coast, we can state without hesitation that the outlook for the sector and the beneficiaries of insurance contracts is good.

The positive signals that we are seeing from the players in the insurance sector in Ivory Coast and throughout the CIMA zone are positive.

As the 47th Annual General Meeting of FANAF begins, I remain convinced that all the players in the sector will play their part in "the history of Africa's digital transformation" (particularly in the insurance sector), as Stéphane Richard, former Chairman and CEO of the Orange group, said in the preface to Bruno Mettling's book entitled "Booming Africa; The Time of Digital Africa."

THE FUTURE WILL TELL US!

CONCLUSION

The adoption of an innovation being a process, I tried during this contribution to situate the beginning of this dynamic of diffusion of OPEN INNOVATION in the Insurance sector in the CIMA zone (2014 by the election of the new FANAF office) until its adoption and its implementation by the Ivorian market.

I also tried to show how FANAF, through these communication channels, had a positive impact on the adoption of OPEN INNOVATION by the insurance market in Ivory Coast by reducing uncertainty about this new management paradigm.

I also presented the different sequences of this process.

It is also clear that COVID 19 has certainly had an accelerating effect (tipping point) on the process of adoption of OPEN INNOVATION by the Ivorian market;

But it must be recognized that market players were already well engaged in this process of paradigm shift.