The Republic of Congo plans to start activities at four special economic zones (SEZ) by next year, with the aim of diversifying its economy from mainly petroleum exports to manufacturing and other services.

Congo's minister for special economic zones Alain Akoula Atipault, told Reuters he expected economic activities to begin in the zones -- which will provide tax breaks and other incentives to companies -- during the course of 2012 once feasibilities studies are completed.

The Central African nation, which produces about 340,000 barrels of oil per day, signed a memorandum of understanding with Singapore Cooperation Enterprise, to help it develop the zones from scratch.

"Feasibility studies will be completed by the end of the year or the first quarter of next year. Tenders have been launched and we will have the results in the coming weeks," Atipault said.

He could not detail planned incentives for companies that will eventually operate in the zones, but said the projects were aimed in part at creating jobs to combat the nation's high unemployment rate, poverty and a rural exodus.

One of the SEZs will be at the port of Congo's economic capital Pointe-Noire, with a surface area of 1,600 hectares. Another will be at Oyo-Ollombo, about 400 km north of Brazzaville, while the two others will be in the interior.

The services of three firms: French consulting firm Sofred, engineering consultants Egis International and Gazprom Bank Invest, a subsidiary of the Russian oil and gas group, have tendered bids to evaluate the potential sites.

Atipault said several countries and companies have expressed interest in the economic zones including from Brazil, India, China and Mauritius.

"Brazilians have expressed interest to invest in a construction materials firm in the SEZ near Brazzaville," the minister said.

He added that Pointe-Noire SEZ, could host a mineral export facility to handle the shipment iron from several projects that are being developed.

Zanaga Iron Ore is seeking develop a project seen producing 45 million tonnes per year of concentrate, in which Xstrata owns a majority stake.

Australia's Sundance also plans to spend $600 million to develop its Nabemba mine, expected to produce 21 million tonnes per year from 2014.

Despite being one of Africa's fastest growing economies at 10.4 percent this year, Congo ruled by Denis Sassou N'Guesso for all but five years in the past 32 years, is still recovering from a civil war in 1997 which destroyed its infrastructures.

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