En Français As Africa embraces the transformative power of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Special Economic Zones (SEZs) emerge as pivotal catalysts for regional economic growth.The impact of AfCFTA on SEZs on the continent is a key part of Africa’s growth, through improved market access, reduced trade barriers, and participation in regional value chains, which all enhance…
In English Alors que l'Afrique se lance dans une nouvelle ère marquée par la Zone de Libre-Échange Continentale Africaine (ZLECAf), les Zones Économiques Spéciales (ZES) émergent en tant que catalyseurs favorisant la croissance économique régionale. L'impact de la nouvelle ZLECAf sur les ZES du continent est un vecteur clé pour la croissance de l'Afrique, avec une amélioration…
En Français Several West and Central African countries have incorporated the UN Sustainable Development Goals in their respective economic growth strategies, driven by a desire from both public and private stakeholders to include more sustainable, socially focused and transparent practices throughout the supply chain. The increasing focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria…
En Français While West Africa is one of the largest producers of cotton, it has the ability to process less than 2% of the crop locally; around 90% is exported to markets in Asia, where value is added through spinning and weaving. The industrialisation of West Africa is therefore essential for the region to fully capitalise on its resources, boost growth and create employment along the value chain. The…
– Textile and fashion is the world’s second-largest industrial polluter, behind oil and gas – Concerted efforts are being made to create more sustainable business models – Two solar-powered, sustainable textile plants under construction in Togo and Benin – Increased cotton processing could mean value-added textile earnings stay in West Africa With textiles and fashion expected to…
So much has happened over the past decade in the African markets we cover: Ghana discovered oil, Nigeria re-based its economy, Kenya developed mobile money, Côte d’Ivoire recovered from a civil war, Egypt underwent a peaceful revolution, and Morocco created an aeronautics industry. State assets were privatised, dictators were ousted, and new cities were built. Of course, there have been plenty…
In English L’heure est au progrès pour le secteur minier gabonais, avec le développement de nouveaux projets qui s’inscrivent dans le cadre d’une stratégie gouvernementale visant à attirer les investissements étrangers et à contrer le ralentissement enregistré l’année dernière. Fin février le ministre des mines et de l’industrie, Christian Magnagna, a déclaré que la production…
Special economic zones (SEZs) have become a popular way for governments around the world to try and accelerate investment in select sectors and industries, and for its part Gabon has seen more success than most. In an effort to attract the investment that was pledged under the Industrial Gabon pillar of the Emerging Gabon Strategic Plan, an SEZ framework was legislated in 2011, with the first SEZ built…
Launched in 2010, the Emerging Gabon Strategic Plan (Plan Stratégique Gabon Emergent, PSGE) aims to reduce Gabon’s reliance on oil production by 2025 through the development of three sectoral-focused pillars: Green Gabon, which targets timber, agriculture and ecotourism; Industrial Gabon, which emphasises value addition through local processing of raw materials; and Gabon Services, which seeks to…
While oil has been the driving engine behind Gabon’s economy since independence, the country’s other underground resources have in many ways been equally prominent. The mining sector has traditionally been a major currency earner for Gabon. The country is the world’s fourth-largest producer of manganese, with reserves of 150m tonnes and production of 1.8m tonnes in 2015. Gabon is thought to have…
