UK-US Zero-Tariff Pharma Deal Reshapes Drug Pricing
December 4, 2025
Yaya Ouattara’s journey into the world of small and medium-sized enterprise development began with a conviction that these businesses are the lifeblood of inclusive growth. His early career at the International Trade Centre in Geneva exposed him to the transformative power of entrepreneurship across continents. Working with more than 5,000 SMEs in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, he saw firsthand how access to finance and trade competitiveness could change lives. Those experiences shaped his vision for GUDE-PME, Côte d’Ivoire’s single window for SME development, where he now serves as CEO. His mission is clear: to create an integrated, accessible, and innovative support system for Ivorian entrepreneurs who are eager to scale sustainably.
Since his appointment in 2022, Ouattara has worked tirelessly to transform GUDE-PME into a national catalyst for SME growth. He designed a strategic framework that aligns support services, financial facilitation, and innovation promotion. By leveraging the strengths of subsidiaries such as Côte d’Ivoire PME, which focuses on capacity building, and the Société de Garantie de Crédit aux PME, which provides partial credit guarantee schemes, he has expanded access to capacity building to more than 14,000 SMEs and facilitated access to capital to more than 3,000 SMEs to date. Programs like “Tik Tak with Orange Bank” and “Choose Africa 2,” funded by the French development agency, have democratized entrepreneurship and ensured that viable business ideas are not left unsupported. His leadership has positioned GUDE-PME as a trusted partner for entrepreneurs and financial institutions alike, bridging gaps that once seemed insurmountable.
At the heart of Ouattara’s work lies a deep commitment to inclusion, resilience, and community transformation. Growing up in a context where entrepreneurship was often the only path to opportunity, he understands the stakes. Empowering SMEs, for him, is synonymous with empowering families and local economies. His volunteer work and community leadership reinforce his belief that sustainable development begins with equipping people to succeed independently.
This conviction drives his daily efforts, ensuring that GUDE-PME’s mission is not just about numbers but about lives changed.
One defining moment that illustrates this impact occurred during regional entrepreneurship training in Côte d’Ivoire’s Central region. More than 300 women-owned agribusinesses received coaching and later accessed microloans through GUDE-PME’s facilitation platform. Within months, these businesses expanded production, created jobs, and began supplying regional markets. The transformation was tangible: women gained financial independence, earned community respect, and became role models for others. For Ouattara, this was a reaffirmation of GUDE-PME’s mission of inclusive empowerment, proof that targeted support can ripple outward into lasting change.
Balancing international partnerships with local realities is another hallmark of his leadership. His years at the ITC taught him how to align global best practices with the needs of local entrepreneurs. At GUDE-PME, collaborations with organizations such as the African Development Bank, ECOWAS, and the French Development Agency are carefully designed to directly benefit Ivorian SMEs. International funding and expertise are translated into context-relevant programs implemented across the country’s 31 regions. This ensures that initiatives are globally informed but locally owned, a balance that strengthens both credibility and impact.
Philanthropy and social inclusion are woven into GUDE-PME’s mission. Women and youth entrepreneurs, along with SMEs in rural or underserved areas, are prioritized. Training and financing programs often include grants or blended finance instruments to reduce risk for first-time entrepreneurs. Ouattara himself supports initiatives promoting education and community development through local associations and diaspora networks. In November 2025, GUDE-PME trained 40 women entrepreneurs on the potato value chain in northern Côte d’Ivoire, helping them diversify income sources and strengthen food security. These efforts highlight the human dimension of economic development, where empowerment is measured not only in profits but in dignity and opportunity.
National scaling programs have not been without challenges. Convincing government programs of GUDE-PME’s central coordinating role required persistence. With support from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ouattara engaged ministries across sectors to emphasize the importance of synergy in SME development. Memorandums of understanding were signed with most of them, creating a unified approach. Another challenge has been bridging the trust gap between SMEs and financial institutions. Despite the existence of guaranteed mechanisms, skepticism remained. GUDE-PME addressed this by co-developing specific SME products with partner banks and creating digital tools to improve transparency and data-driven decision-making. Continuous feedback from entrepreneurs ensures that offerings remain relevant, reflecting Ouattara’s adaptability and commitment to listening.
Looking ahead, innovation excites him most. Côte d’Ivoire aims to support 8,000 SMEs in 2026, and GUDE-PME is preparing digital platforms that connect startups, business angels, and financial institutions. These platforms will streamline matchmaking, enhance visibility, and use technology to assess investment readiness. Data-driven dashboards will allow SMEs to monitor performance, while e-learning tools will extend capacity building to even the most remote entrepreneurs. Such innovations promise to level the playing field, ensuring that geography or resources do not limit ambition.
Ouattara’s vision extends beyond immediate programs. He hopes to leave a legacy of institutions that outlive individuals, systems capable of continuously empowering entrepreneurs and creating opportunities. His goal is for GUDE-PME to be recognized as a model for inclusive SME development in Africa, comparable to agencies like the US Small Business Administration or Enterprise Singapore. By embedding innovation, transparency, and partnership into the DNA of the institution, he believes local economies can be transformed sustainably.
What is often overlooked, he notes, is the role of human capital in GUDE-PME’s success. Teams built with passion and belief in entrepreneurs are the true engine of progress. His journey from Geneva’s international forums to local SME workshops in Côte d’Ivoire has taught him that development is most effective when driven by empathy, knowledge, and collective ambition. It is this human-centered approach that distinguishes his leadership, ensuring that GUDE-PME is not just an institution but a movement.
The broader context of his work underscores its importance. SMEs represent more than 98 percent of Côte d’Ivoire’s private sector, making them essential to economic resilience. GUDE-PME has set ambitious targets, aiming to support 80,000 SMEs over the next five years. This scale reflects both urgency and opportunity. In a country where youth unemployment remains a pressing issue, SMEs are the bridge to sustainable livelihoods. Ouattara’s leadership ensures that this bridge is sturdy, inclusive, and forward-looking.
His invitation to entrepreneurs is simple yet powerful: embrace GUDE-PME as a partner in competitiveness. Speaking at a government forum in Abidjan in 2024, he urged project holders, startups, and SMEs to take ownership of the resources available. The message resonated because it was grounded in reality. Entrepreneurs know the challenges of accessing finance, navigating bureaucracy, and scaling operations. GUDE-PME offers them a pathway, and Ouattara’s credibility ensures that the promise is not empty.
The story of Yaya Ouattara is ultimately one of vision and pragmatism. He combines international experience with local commitment, strategic partnerships with grassroots empowerment, and innovation with empathy. His leadership at GUDE-PME is shaping not only the future of SMEs in Côte d’Ivoire but also the broader narrative of economic development in West Africa. By building systems that empower entrepreneurs, he is building futures, proving that inclusive growth is not just an aspiration but an achievable reality.
" Empowering SMEs, for him, is synonymous with empowering families and local economies "
© THE CEO PUBLICATION 2021 | All rights reserved. Terms and condition | Privacy and Policy
