Thursday, February 28, 2019

Chinese and Dubai Companies Battle To Operate Djiboutian Port

Quartz Africa posted on 28 February 2019 an article titled "A Legal Tussle Over a Strategic African Port Sets Up a Challenge for China's Belt and Road Plan" by Abdi Latif Dahir.

Dubai's DP World until recently operated Djibouti's Doraleh Container Terminal. A year ago, Djibouti seized control of the port from DP World. China Merchants Port Holdings, the Hong Kong-based subsidiary of the state-owned conglomerate, China Merchants Group, held a 23.5 percent stake in the port and has been given increased operational authority by Djibouti over the port. The issue is now in a Hong Kong court but the dispute raises questions about the ultimate intentions of this Chinese company and control of the port.