A major delegation composed of the Directors General of state-owned enterprises under the supervision of the Ministry of Transport, Civil Aviation, and the Merchant Marine, led by Jean Louis Osso, Transport Adviser to the Head of State and Chairman of the Boards of Directors of these various entities, carried out a visit on Friday, August 22, 2025, to the Pointe-Noire Special Economic Zone, currently under development under the leadership of ARISE.
Upon their arrival at the SEZ premises, the delegation was welcomed by the Director General of ARISE, accompanied by Deputy Director General Danielle Sassou Nguesso. The delegation, under the leadership of Jean Louis Osso, began with an exchange with ARISE’s top management, who shared information on the development vision for the economic zone, the infrastructure already in place, and the growth prospects it offers the country.
According to Jean Louis Osso, the purpose of this field visit was to enable each structure under the Ministry of Transport — including the Port Authority of Pointe-Noire (PAPN), the Congo-Océan Railway (CFCO), the Directorate General of the Merchant Marine (DIGEMAR), the Congolese Shippers’ Council (CCC), and Aéroports du Congo (AERCO) — to identify the opportunities offered by the zone and consider possible installation there with a view to boosting their activities.
During these fruitful discussions, Jean Louis Osso emphasized that both sides demonstrated the existence of important interactions that need to be established. He added: “We must strengthen the necessary synergies so that the transport and logistics system supports the activities of the Special Economic Zone, ensuring smooth access for the entry and exit of goods from this Zone.”
Following the exchanges, the hosts guided the Directors General through the developed perimeter, allowing them to see firsthand the progress of the developments. The visitors also toured several companies already installed and operational, illustrating the potential of this emerging economic hub.
At the end of the visit, ARISE’s Director General, Danielle Sassou Nguesso, thanked Jean Louis Osso for his unprecedented initiative of bringing together, in one place, the Directors General of the various companies — all indispensable and integrated into the transport and logistics sector. She also highlighted “the proximity of the Port Authority of Pointe-Noire, which is a real asset for this economic zone. It is the closest port to a special economic zone, and the closest economic zone to a deep-water port like that of Pointe-Noire.”
This initiative to visit the Pointe-Noire SEZ is part of the authorities’ commitment to promote better integration of transport sector stakeholders into this special economic zone, a true lever for diversifying the national economy.
