Legal Mornings of GDIZ – Edition 1
Theme: Tax regime of Special Economic Zones and tax innovations of the 2024 Finance Law
Initiated by Société d’Investissement et de Promotion de l’Industrie (SIPI-BENIN S.A.), in charge of managing, developing and promoting GDIZ, ‘Legal Mornings of GDIZ’ session aims to provide investors, service providers and partners in the Zone with an in-depth understanding of Benin’s legal arsenal, focusing on the laws specific to Special Economic Zones.
This 1st edition focused on the theme: Tax regime of Special Economic Zones and tax innovations of the 2024 Finance Law with as main speakers, Mr Nicolas YENOUSSI, Director General of Taxes of Benin, Mr Eric AKOUTE, Director of Studies of the Benin Export Promotion Agency and Mrs Marlyne GUEDEGBE, Legal Director of SIPI-BENIN S.A. Also present were Mr Laurent GANGBES, General Manager of APIEx-Benin, General Administrator of GDIZ, Mr Kundan Kumar, Deputy General Manager of SIPI-BENIN S.A. and Mr Imorou IDOSSOU, Director of Legislation and Litigation of the General Directorate of Customs and Indirect Duties, as well as a large delegation from the tax authorities.
This 1st edition of GDIZ Legal Mornings marks the beginning of a long series of quarterly meetings intended to reinforce our commitment to respecting legislation and the commitments of the ARISE IIP Group within the framework of the Public Private Partnership with the Republic of Benin.
ECOWAS Resident Representative visits GDIZ
To boost intra-African trade, GDIZ welcomed Mr Amadou Diongue, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Benin. His visit highlighted the importance of regional economic integration and the Zone’s role as a key player in this process.
Mr Diongue was particularly impressed by GDIZ’s agro-industrial processing facilities and textile units, where more than 1,000 young people contribute to the creation of ‘Made in Benin’ garments.
He shared his vision: “After this visit, I understood the scale of the transformation in Benin. It’s remarkable to see a country moving towards a manufacturing-based economy thanks to the vision of its government. This development model is the way forward for Africa.”
This recognition by a high representative of ECOWAS underlines GDIZ not only as an economic force for growth in Benin, but also as an example of success for the continent.
KIABI explores partnership opportunities with GDIZ for sustainable expansion in West Africa
GDIZ is honored to have welcomed a delegation from KIABI Senior Management team, a leading French retailer in the clothing sector. During this visit, the delegation had explored the Textile Training and Production Centers, as well as the Textile Park of GDIZ. The Members of KIABI Senior Management team also engaged with textile park officials regarding potential collaborations and partnerships.
This visit from KIABI is part of the implementation of its strategic plan for expansion into West Africa, with the primary objective of developing a sustainable, traceable, and vertically integrated apparel supply chain.
In this regard, KIABI plans to prioritise sourcing fully transformed products locally, which will contribute to the economic vitality of West Africa while also making a significant global impact.
Additionally, it is worth highlighting KIABI’s steadfast commitment to environmental responsibility. The company aims to significantly reduce its carbon footprint by promoting the use of locally sourced cotton and adopting vertical integration practices.
GDIZ fully shares the values of sustainability and corporate social responsibility championed by KIABI. We place great importance on job creation and community improvement, values that align closely with those of KIABI.
GDIZ hopes that this visit will mark the beginning of a lasting and impactful collaboration with KIABI!
About KIABI
- Activity: Retail chain specializing in the sale of clothing and shoes for men, women, children, and babies.
- Year of establishment: 1978 in Roncq, France.
- Number of stores: Over 600 worldwide.
- Sales: Over 300 million clothing items sold per year.
- Commitment: design and produce 100% of its collections sustainably by 2030.
