The electronic investment platform, the iGuide, developed by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in collaboration with UNCTAD, has been unveiled by the Investment Promotion Agency (API) of the Republic of the Congo in Brazzaville.
The initiative promotes the investment potential of the country.
The iGuide is an easy-to-use online platform providing domestic and foreign investors alike with up-to-date and pertinent information on business opportunities as well as applicable laws and regulations. The launch event was attended by representatives of the private and public sector.
The project was initiated at the request of the Republic of the Congo through API. The launch of the platform came at a moment when the country, like many other economies in Africa and elsewhere, is facing difficult macroeconomic conditions in the wake of a commodity price fall.
“Investment is essential to spur economic diversification and this platform reduces the information barrier investors encounter,” noted Annick Patricia Mongo, Director General of the API.
Information on the platform is grouped in seven chapters around the themes of business set-up, labour, production factors, land, taxes, investor rights and growth sectors and opportunities. Each chapter is complemented with data, links to additional resources and assessments collected among investors on the ground.
“The iGuide brings all the information investors may require at their fingertips. Whenever investors want to dig deeper in certain areas, they have access to additional documents and contact details of professionals who can provide them with further details,” explained Joseph Baricako, Economic Affairs Officer at the Investment Policy Section (IPS) of the ECA.
The iGuide for the Republic of the Congo is the first in a series supported by the ECA. The IPS is also concluding work with local officials on the iGuides for Malawi, Nigeria and Zambia. These three online platforms are expected to be launched in the first quarter of the year 2018. The iGuide project falls into the ECA’s advisory services and capacity-building remit.
UNCTAD rolled out the iGuide project in 2013 to offer a complement to the more traditional paper-based manuals. Currently, nine countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, including Burundi, Kenya and Rwanda, have the electronic platform for investors at their disposal.
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Dear Director General, Investment Authority, warm greeting & best wishes of the time
Subject: African Development Promotion and Investment Visions
Dear Investment Authorities, Government officials, & investment facilitators, warm greetings & best wishes of the time. We are African professionals in different fields of studies who are always getting sick of African backwardness while the continent is naturally virgin & potentially rich in every aspect. Currently we are working hard in group from Ethiopia& UAE in collaborations with our global partners in order to contribute as much as we can for African peace, stability, poverty reduction, Socio-Economic & cultural developments. We committed ourselves to the all round continental trade & investment promotion &enhancement. We work at global level with similar professional, investment& project financing groups to achieve our goals; we have full commitment to undertake the following activities as soon as possible: -Own & implement any development project alone by 1) joint-venture alone & 100% owned by foreign investors as well with Governments,
2) by facilitating long term loans for public & private projects, for implementing of geothermal, bio-gas, wind, solar & hydro power generations, housing, highway, railway & dam projects, upgrading of storage & discharging capacities of petroleum refineries, supply oil, gas, bitumen, food staff, military uniforms, construction materials & machineries,& others permanently without interruption at fair prices than the International weekly plat. Undertake oil & gas explorations, mining’s, large scale farms & agro-industries, integrated mechanized framings scientifically using rivers, rain & irrigation systems within safe locations of the countries having access to international marketing roots, develop Real Estates wherever land is allocated for such purposes to supply affordable houses including quick pre-fabricated multi-purpose houses, establishing of fully equipped grade one construction companies where required for highway roads, bridges, dams & building constructions & for construction of schools & star hotels, undertake rentals of heavy constructions & agricultural machineries as may be demanded by the economies of each countries thereby solving foreign currency constraints in some parts of the region. Provision of international standard project & management consultancy services including project financing. These all investment activities shall be depending on the attractiveness of the countries investment policies & excellent investment incentives. We have sufficient fund with easy financing procedures plus reasonable terms & conditions provided that Government Sovereign guarantees & acceptable collaterals are available in place in order to secure the financiers & investors. Therefore, please do not hesitate to forward your expression of interests in writing together with summaries of each project. The project holders are expected to forward all their outstanding projects seeking finance with attractive alternatives investment options or choices, seconded by expected terms & conditions of financiers.
Looking forward to working with you as quickly as possible to develop Africa by Africans.
Very Sincerely yours, F/selassie Ayele, CEO, ALFAEL Trade & Investment PLCAfricanfriendship2016@gmail.com +251-909069049 OR 966890849