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Ministry of Special Economic Zones: Towards the Construction of the Pointe-Noire Special Economic Zone

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Published on Monday 6 March 2017 10:46
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In order to provide the basis for its policy of economic diversification, since 2009, the Congo has been building Zes (Special Economic Zones) to strengthen its industrialization. After seven years of intensive work of design and studies of the six Zes retained throughout the country, Congo is now entering the concrete phase of construction of the Zes, the first to emerge from the land is that of Pointe- Black.

Thanks to Chinese cooperation, the government, through the Ministry of Special Economic Zones, has created the conditions for the construction of this site, which will house a mineral port and a potash plant.

The current economic crisis, which has caused Congo's growth to fall to less than 1% in 2016, after the fall in the price of a barrel of oil, has the effect of diversifying the economy and not depending on a The only export product: oil. The Zes constitute an important link in this economic policy to which the President of the Republic, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, is attached. It is in this context that the Zeus of Pointe-Noire is the first to be built. Not easy to achieve, especially in the phase of mobilization of space. The acquisition of the 30-square-kilometer land required the expropriation procedure. "With the Minister of Land and Public Affairs, Martin Aimé Parfait Coussoud-Mavoungou, we launched the demarcation, surveying and demarcation operations of the 30 square kilometers that will constitute the industrial park of the future Special Economic Zone Of Pointe-Noire, in agreement with the China development institute. In this process, the law will be respected, "said Minister Alain Akouala-Atipault, on February 14, after an interview with Chinese Ambassador Xia Huang. The expropriated persons were reassured to receive their rights, merely justifying, by documents, that they own the land in the Special Economic Zone.

In order not to waste time, Minister Akouala-Atipault has already anticipated the training of Congolese cadres to ensure the operation of the Zeus of Pointe-Noire. This is a point he raised with the Chinese diplomat. "The establishment or operation of the Pointe-Noire Special Economic Zone is based on a good human resources base. In this spirit, China is ready to welcome Congolese officials so that they can take a training course in theory and practice, "said Xia Huang, adding," As for the start of this training, we Await a response from the Congolese authorities. We will also be in consultation with the relevant ministerial departments so that within a few weeks we will be able to draw up a definitive list of the agents who will go to China. As to the number of beneficiary agents, it will be known taking into account the needs of the Congolese government".

On the government side, precisely, the vision is clear, as far as the choice of cadres is concerned. "For the time being, it is a matter of thinking about the training of the men and women who will have the task of providing support and the functioning of these economic zones. In our role of transversal position, we will involve the other Ministries, in the identification of the personnel who will go to China for training. Since the management of the Special Economic Zones is quite diversified, the profiles will also be very diversified, "said the Minister of Special Economic Zones.

The potash project will produce world-class fertilizer with a capacity of 1.2 million tons of potassium chloride per year. This year's development by Magminerals potasses Congo Sa, a subsidiary of Magminerals potash corp, has a total cost of about $ 1.364 billion. The mineral port, which will be used for the export of this production, is, meanwhile, constructed by the company Crbc (China road and bridge corporation).

The Zes are fenced, equipped and equipped areas, within which the State practices a liberal economic policy, based on favorable conditions granted to enterprises, through fiscal incentives, simplified customs procedures and To attract businesses and facilitate their activities. At the same time, the Zes are important poles of job creation and production.

Joël NSONI

http://www.lasemaineafricaine.net/index.php/national/14462-ministere-des-zones-economiques-speciales-vers-la-construction-de-la-zone-economique-speciale-de-pointe-noire

http://www.crbc.com/site/crbcEN/ongoing/index_3.html