Kinshasa, March 12th, 2023 (CPA) – The end of the operationalisation process of the special economic zones of Musienene in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was announced on Saturday in Goma by the Minister of Industry, Julien Paluku Kahongya to the provincial authority of North Kivu, Lieutenant General Constant Ndima Kongba.
« We have come to officially announce that we have finished the process of operationalisation of the special economic zone of Musienene, one of the special economic zones in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which started with feasibility studies and finally we have just handed over the statutes of the special economic zones to this first economic zone », said this member of the Sama Lukonde government, who wants to materialize the saying « fight and develop », or at the same time as we make war, the Ministry of Industry thinks of development on the other hand.
The operationalization of the special economic zone of North Kivu comes after the pilot zone of Maluku which has already started very well and whose first productions are expected by the end of June 2023 at the latest, said Minister Julien Paluku, honorary governor of North Kivu, to his compatriots of North Kivu affected by the M23 war.
According to him, a special economic zone is a geographical region in which economic laws are more liberal, and companies that set up there benefit from tax breaks.
Already in 2015, the National Assembly had voted the law creating the special economic zones in the DRC. These zones aim to boost the Congolese economy.
To this end, the government decided to experiment with Special Economic Zones in order to promote local industry. In the wake of initial hesitant attempts, it adopted Law No. 14/022 of July 7th, 2014 establishing the regime of special economic zones in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Already in 2015, the National Assembly had voted the law creating the special economic zones in the DRC. These zones aim to boost the Congolese economy. To achieve this, the law provides strategies to attract investors.
The latter benefit from tax, customs, administrative and other advantages. Above all, it puts in place a system to limit all kinds of harassment. According to the national deputies of the time, the establishment of these zones aims to improve the business climate, insofar as it is supposed to facilitate investments in the country.
These zones are created in areas that abound in natural potential or wealth, allowing the development of certain economic activities. These include agriculture, livestock, fishing and mining.
