Luanda: At least 19,000 jobs have been created, so far, in the Luanda-Bengo Special Economic Zone (ZEE), as a result of the operationalization of several projects in this industrial park. This information was disclosed by the ZEE manager, Manuel Francisco Pedro, on the sidelines of the first African Sustainable Investment Summit (ASIS), which took place from the 26th to the 28th, in parallel with the 10th Annual Meeting of African Special Economic Zones (ZEE).
According to Angola Press News Agency, Manuel Pedro stated that 99 new projects are under construction, which will generate more jobs, especially for young people. He noted that the ZEE has been attracting investments across numerous sectors, including pharmaceuticals, contributing to the dynamization and development of the country and the continent.
Pedro emphasized the role of Zones as an instrument of economic policy, facilitating countries in diversifying their economies and revitalizing their industrial sectors.
In turn, Nardos Bekele Thomas, the executive director of the African Union Development Agency, highlighted the necessity of consolidating economic growth through diversification. She noted the existence of over 270 Special Economic Zones in Africa, primarily in the Eastern region, showcasing the continent's ambition towards industrialization and economic diversification.
Additionally, Clever Getet, the executive secretary of the United Nations for the African Economic Commission, commended the progress made by the continent's Economic Zones, which currently generate over 8 billion dollars for the global economy. He cited Ethiopia's ZEE and Luanda-Bengo as examples of Africa's capability to design and operate successful industrial ecosystems globally.
The first African Sustainable Investment Summit (ASIS) and the 10th Annual Meeting of African Special Economic Zones (ZEEs) were organized by the Organization of African Economic Zones (AEZO) in collaboration with the Luanda-Bengo Special Economic Zone. Discussions at the events focused on challenges in industrialization, investment attraction, the role of ports in regional value chains, and recent developments in the ZEE ecosystem on the continent.
