Proposed PID SEZ in Senegal. Courtesy of Invest in Senegal

From July to October of 2015, Locus Economica joined forces with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to assist the government of Senegal as it develops its industrial sectors. We advised the government on the creation of an Integrated Industrial Platform and special economic zone (SEZ) called the Platforme Industrielle de Diamniadio (PID), 35 kilometers southeast of the capital, Dakar. Our work focused on reviewing and revising the legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks for the PID and building the capacity of stakeholders through consultation workshops and training activities.

Senegal anticipates that the PID will lead to job creation, accelerated GDP growth, increased exports, and increased foreign direct investment (FDI). The PID will be designed to offer a competitive business environment and incentives package to attract investors from China and other nations in labor-intensive industries, such as garments and footwear. We helped ensure the legal and institutional framework for the PID will be benchmarked against offerings to investors in other locations and shaped by the local economic, political, and social context to achieve the maximum development impact for Senegal.