The Luanda-Bengo Special Economic Zone (ZEE) has launched a useful new tool for investors, the GAI (Guiché de Apoio ao Investidor), or Investor Support Office, which in addition to supporting the presidential directive to facilitate access for national and foreign investors, will eliminate bureaucratic obstacles that can hinder the actions of those who want to access Angola’s privatized assets or those businesses already established within the ZEE.
The GAI, which was officially launched on November 10, 2021, will provide investors with a set of public and private services that will help harmoniously integrate them into the ZEE’s business environment.
According to the Luanda-Bengo Special Economic Zone (ZEE), benefits of the GAI are as follows:
*reduce the time needed to access and resolve matters relating to the Angolan public administration
*contribute to a significant increase in the number of companies based in the ZEE
*expand domestic production and the export of goods generated by the Angolan economy
*increase foreign direct investment in the Republic of Angola
The economic reforms introduced by the Executive of the Republic of Angola, within the new legal framework, will facilitate improvements to the business environment, reinforce the attractiveness of the ZEE and, the new Investor Support Office will offer unique benefits to domestic and foreign investors.
The GAI Investor Support Office will be physically accessible with facilities at the ZEE. Applications can also be made through the official pages, various digital platforms and social network sites.
About the Luanda/Bengo Special Economic Zone – ZEE
Over the 12 years of its existence, ZEE projects have generated 6 132 new jobs for national citizens. This employer dynamic was not affected by the Covid-19 pandemic as over the last thirteen months (from October 2020 until now), the projects approved by the ZEE have included 3 301 Angolan workers and only 32 foreigners.
The ZEE has also enabled a reduction in Angola’s imports, increased exports and attracted foreign investment – all of which is well reflected in the growing production of the ZEE. Over the last year, various investment projects from Germany, Eritrea, India, Rwanda, Lebanon and Angola have been implemented. These projects represent an investment worth around one billion euros over the last five years.
Projects at the ZEE include production in various sectors such as dairy, pasta and other foodstuffs (including wheat flour, semolina flour, sausages, biscuits and cold meats), detergents, clothing, plastic utensils, thermoelectric power station and electrical devices, steelmaking, building materials and operation of automobile inspection centers.
The Luanda Bengo ZEE is laid out over more than 4700 hectares in the Viana district. The ZEE encompasses over 130 industrial and commercial projects, 75 of which are in full operation, 11 are undergoing restructuring, seven are waiting for the completion of the privatization process, 1 is ready to start production activity, 18 are in the construction phase and 20 are in the project implementation phase. 60 per cent of the projects are related to factories, 25 per cent are related to commercial establishments and 10 per cent are services.
