News

AEZO Regional Workshop, March 2021

Locus Economica’s Jean-Paul Gauthier was pleased to participate in the Africa Economic Zones Organization’s Regional Workshop on March 24th 2021 which sought to provide Mozambican & African governments, potential investors and SEZ operators with an opportunity to discuss how SEZs, as drivers of economic growth and industrialization, can be used as a bedrock for sustained job creation; enterprise development; innovation and technology; and skills development, and to consequently enable a guaranteed safe environment for investments.

World Free Zones Organization Barcelona Convention, 2019

Jean-Paul Gauthier of Locus Economica enjoyed delivering an interactive lecture on whether free ports were a potential new post-Brexit investment opportuninty in GB to the 2019 Convention of the Wolrd Free Zones Organization Barcelona.

(From the right) Jean-Paul Gauthier; Mohammed Alzarooni, Pressident of the World Free Zone Organization (WFZO); and a delegate from Afghanistan, whose industrial park and SEZ policies Locus Economica advised on.

Pro Bono Contribution to Louis Clamaron's Thesis, 2020

Locus Economica’s Jean-Paul Gauthier was delighted to learn of the successful publication of Louis Clamaron of the Lyon Buisiness School’s thesis, THE KYAUKPHYU SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE IMPLEMENTATION WITHIN THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE, on 20th July 2020 to which he gave pro bono advice.

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Locus Economica Contributes to a PWC and UK Aid Investment Report on Africa

Locus Economica’s Jean-Paul Gauthier contributed to the November 2018 ‘Invest Africa’ report which was jointly published by PWC and UK Aid and which was a regional study in planning, financing and managing industrial parks in sub-saharan Africa.

Locus Economica Contribution to "How to Get Stuff Done (GSD) through Sustainable Investment Clusters"

Locus Economica’s Jean-Paul Gauthier contributes to the Savo Project Delevopers’ publication, ‘How to Get Stuff Done (GSD) through Sustainable Investment Clusters’ particularly to Chapter Five on ‘Conducive Policy Environment’(s). For more information on the project, go to https://p4gpartnerships.org/pioneering-green-partnerships/all-p4g-partnerships/sustainable-special-economic-zones .

Rwanda Development Board Highly Recommends Locus Economica's CEO Jean-Paul Gauthier to UNIDO

Rwanda SEZAR Locus UNIDO Event Dec 2016 -2.jpg

Mr. Naphtal Kazoora, manager of Rwanda's Special Economic Zones Regulatory Authority, this month issued a kind letter of support for Jean-Paul Gauthier's expertise in ongoing UNIDO-supported SEZ development assistance.

Mr. Kazoora's letter to UNIDO reads in part: "I am pleased to confirm that SEZAR would welcome further support to be provided by UNIDO in the form of advice and training to be provided by Dr Jean-Paul Gauthier, Senior Expert on Special Economic Zones (SEZ): Regulatory and Institutional Development Issues ... I would be grateful if UNIDO could proceed to contract Dr Gauthier as soon as possible."

See the full letter here.

Madagascar SEZ Bill Adopted

Ehoala Port, Fort Dauphin, Madagascar – the site of a proposed SEZ

Ehoala Port, Fort Dauphin, Madagascar – the site of a proposed SEZ

In July 2017, the Madagascar Council of Ministers adopted the SEZ Bill prepared with the technical assistance of Locus Economica in the 2015-2017 period. We had generous assistance from local counsel from the MCI law firm. The entire project was backed by funding from the World Bank Growth Poles Project.

Under the SEZ Law, which Locus Economica co-drafted, investors had, as of November 2017, signed MoUs with Rio Tinto’s Ehoala Business Park (constructed at a cost of $256 million) projected to create 1,000 jobs.

Konza Techno City Drives Kenya Closer to a Knowledge-Based Economy

Locus congratulates Kenya's Konza Techno City, which recently signed an agreement with the government of South Korea to establish a public research university valued at US$100 million. The Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Kaist) will establish the university, helping Kenya achieve its goal of developing information and communication technology industries. Locus founder and CEO Jean-Paul Gauthier provided assistance to Konza City ...

Zones as Engines of Opportunity for Migrants and Host Communities

Locus Economica is pleased to support the NGO Refugee Cities as a preferred cause this holiday season. Refugee Cities exists to use zones as a response to the migration crisis.  A refugee city would be a special economic zone (SEZ) in which migrants could legally work, start their own businesses, and train in new skills. ...

What makes for a successful special economic zone?

Locus Economica consultants Jean-Paul Gauthier and Harold Godsoe were featured in Global Finance Magazine's great recent article, "Special Economic Zones:  Who Wins, Who Loses?." In the article, Jean-Paul and Harold contributed to an excellent summary of the policies that tend to produce successful zones and the policies that undermine success.  Here is just a quick sketch: ...