The very last government set up in Congo-Brazzaville has a ministry responsible for promoting public-private partnerships, led by the son of the head of state who during his first meeting with private actors promised to protect his investments and work to improve the business environment. But entrepreneurs expect more than promises.
From our correspondent in Brazzaville,
“Our ranking in the Doing Business directory shows us that there is still a long way to go,” said Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso, Minister for International Cooperation and Partnership Promotion, to entrepreneurs waiting for some payment. receivables to restart activities.
He was categorical: the business climate must be improved. It involves, among other things, the fight against anti-values, especially corruption that plagues the public administration. Taxation has always been considered heavy by observers. The chairman of the Organization for the Development of Local Business, Deschagrin’s Edet, calls for the fight against corruption to cease to be a slogan.
“Let’s be serious about what we do. Many laws are stored and we are waiting for them to be implemented by the government. Going forward will not consist of adopting new texts or implementing new laws. There are a plethora of existing laws that only ask that they be forced forward, says Ebet.
► To read also: Congo-Brazzaville: Denis Christel Sassou-Nguesso met the contractors
Invest in local SMEs
While promising to protect national and foreign investment, Minister Sassou Nguesso called on economic operators to diversify their efforts, which remain more concentrated in the oil sector. “I now invite you to go further in your investments by diversifying your activities,” he explained.
Didier Sylvestre Mavouenzela, President of the Pointe-Noire Chamber of Commerce, the economic capital, believes that local SMEs are the basis for investment.
“In order for investors to come, they must find a network of small and medium-sized companies and subcontractors on site that they will be able to work with. And to do this, the business climate must be improved. In that sense, we have proposals to enable Congolese companies to work in an improved environment. The environment must be improved so that these companies can grow and promote the country’s development through the jobs they will create, jobs that will be decent, ”Mavouenzela explained.
In the ranking do business 2020 of the World Bank, Congo is ranked 180 out of 190 countries.
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