Managing Director, Logistics Value Chain of Arise IIP, Jesper H. Boll

Nightline Africa, an English service of the Voice of America (VOA) has thoroughly discussed the officially launch of the Special Koya Industrial Zone by ARISE IIP in Sierra Leone, focusing on strengthening regional manufacturing and trade.

Media guru, Peter Clottey of the VOA engaged the Managing Director, Logistics Value Chain of Arise IIP, Jesper H. Boll on the development of the Special Koya Industrial Zone, SIZ-Koya, a joint venture between the Republic of Sierra Leone and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms, IIP.

The Special Economic Zone, Jesper told the VOA, is a joint venture between the Republic of Sierra Leone and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms and will be producing goods locally to replace expensive imports for the benefit of all Sierra Leonians.

Jesper H. Boll said Arise launched its first special economic zone in Gabon in 2010 and that today, that zone has generated 34 thousand direct jobs and is handling one million cubic meters of wood per year.

He said: “In a sustainable and carbon neutral manner – and as a result Gabon is the second largest exporter of veneer sheets in the world today.  We would not have been able to accomplish this, without favorable social and economic conditions locally – and we see similarly favorable conditions in Sierra Leone. There is peace, rule of law, respect of legal contracts, a stable economy and a free press.

“But most importantly is the specific mindset of the people of Sierra Leone; you live together, you worship together and you have a civil society openly speaking up and debating important topics.

“It took Arise 10 years to fully develop the special economic zone in Gabon. It was much faster when we did it in Togo. And it was even faster in Benin, where we are in the process of executing a cotton transformation plan requiring 400,000 direct jobs.

“More than 2 billion Dollars has been invested into core infrastructure under the Arise portfolio with strong backing from Africa Finance Corporation and Africa Transformation and Industrialization Fund.

“Sierra Leone is heavily dependent on importation of basic goods such as sugar and rice – rice which costs 50% more than what it did a year ago. The special economic zone will be producing goods locally to replace expensive imports for the benefit of all Sierra Leonians. But Sierra Leone has a huge potential for agriculture – not only to feed its people but also to export. This Zone in Koya will facilitate transformation of agricultural products and dramatically transform the lives of farmers, just like we have done everywhere else where Arise that has set up.

“I am very excited to show you the plan we have laid out for this special economic zone. The whole zone will cover 1,600 HA fully build up; a single window building with government authorities will come up where we are seated today right next to the highway; it will have an area dedicated for import substitution and for export-oriented products. The first three factories are being set up as we speak; a ceramic tiles manufacturing unit – a non-ferrous metals recycling plant and a pharmaceutical unit producing capsules and injectables; it will be powered by a 100 MWh natural gas power plant that we will install; and a customs bonded inland container depot servicing the factories; it will have a dedicated river port for moving of cargo on the waterways; and in addition to this we are already this year kickstarting a mangrove conservation project on the river bordering the zone.

“An important factor to the success of the zone is connectivity to the farmlands, to the ports and to the neighboring countries. This is why Arise is extending the current rail network beyond the Pepel Tonkolili line; to Guinea and to the other mines and economic centers in the country.

“And industry needs people so we are bringing a passenger train into Sierra Leone that will transport passenger and workforce between the provinces. The train is ready, and it is on the way to Sierra Leone.

“Only by integrating the rail network with Pepel port and Koya special economic zone will we unlock the true potential of the country”.

“We need to look forward and move with determination – many other African countries are already on this journey and now Sierra Leone is as well. I wish to thank President Bio for his bold vision of industrialization and his courage to kickstart the transformation process; not only transformation of raw material, but transformation of the country of Sierra Leone.”

Nightline Africa highlights the latest issues and developments on the continent from correspondents in Washington and across Africa who offer in-depth interviews, reports analysis and features. Nightline also brings its listeners African arts and culture, country profiles, sports, music and commentary by top African experts.