The development of SEZs in Guinea is a priority for the State.

The strategic vision of the Guinean authorities is to promote the emergence of sustainable cities correcting the errors of the past, in this case, the experiences lived in the 2nd prefecture of the Boké region: Fria, << city-factory >>, whose dependence to the mining industry is almost total, with no real sustainable economic alternative. The city almost << died >> following the shutdown of the alumina plant, had it not been for the intervention of the State, which allowed the resumption of the activities of the sole mining company, lessor and manager of the infrastructure and municipal services for drinking water, electricity, sanitation, health, etc.

This new approach, which will be tested through a pilot project: ZES-BOKÉ, takes into account: 

• the notion of the life cycle of territories dependent on mining activities which attract most FDI in search of natural resources – phase of creation, growth, maturity, obsolescence then abandonment –, and

• the development of commercial infrastructures to encourage new activities that can develop on the soil of the mining economy. This principle already extends – on the national territory – to support for agricultural activities through mining agreements to maximize the economic and social benefits.

The general objective is to transcend the limits of an economic system based mainly on the export of raw materials and the import of finished products, to create the conditions for the integration of the mining sector – and its infrastructures – into the rest of the world. economy and promote the emergence of a manufacturing industry.

This involves, among other things, making up for the shortcomings of factors of production (improving productive human capital and attracting FDI, encouraging the transfer of technological know-how); redevelop or build competitive infrastructure (land, energy, transport, water and sanitation, etc.); promote SMEs/SMIs on regional and global value chains, and increase exports of high value-added goods and services; and improving the business environment through quality public services within a Service Facilitation Center (Guichet Unique).