Impact of Red Sea Crisis on Chinese Investment in Djibouti

 The South China Morning Post published on 28 December 2024 an article titled "China's Faith in Djibouti Is Paying Off, But Could Red Sea Crisis Muddy the Waters?" by Enoch Wong.

The article notes that Chinese investments in Djibouti are generally profitable, but continuing Yemen-based Houth attacks on Red Sea shipping raise questions concerning the future of trade through Djibouti.  A Houthi-created crisis that continues for an extended period of time could have negative consequences for Chinese investments in the region.

Aljazeera Underscores Ambiguity in Ethiopia-Somaliland Deal

 Aljazeera published on 4 January 2024 an article titled "Ambiguous Ethiopia Port Deal Fuels Uncertainty over Somaliland Statehood" by Zecharias Zelalem.  

The article emphasizes that the issue of Ethiopian recognition of Somaliland seems to have no date attached to it.  Other elements of the memorandum of understanding, which has not yet been published, are also ambiguous.  

Modernization of Somaliland Port Disturbs Dock Workers

 African Arguments published on 1 December 2022 a commentary titled "The Making of a Global Port, and the Unmaking of a People" by Jutta Bakonyi and May Darwich.

The modernization of Somaliland's Berbera port by a UAE company has made traditional dock workers redundant.  Many of the workers may have to find jobs elsewhere.  

Tanzania-China Dispute over Bagamoyo Port Project

The East African published on 4 November 2019 an article titled "Chinese Firm Dismisses Dar Claims on Stalled $10b Port as Not True."

China Merchants Holdings International (CMHI) is disputing recent accounts by the Tanzania Ports Authority concerning the terms for building the $10 billion port and special economic zone in Bagamoyo, 75 kilometers north of Dar es Salaam. This project has been interrupted on several occasions in recent years. The Tanzania Ports Authority said that CMHI is insisting on a 99 year lease while the Ports Authority will only offer 33 years. CMHI responded that it had already agreed in principle to a 33 year lease.

Chinese Port Construction in Africa

Deutsche Welle posted on 21 June 2019 an article titled "Making Chinese Investment in African Ports Work Despite Risks."

The article notes that more than half of the 46 port projects in Africa have been financed by Chinese entities and 11 are operated by them. There are questions about the ability to repay the loans and whether some of the ports might one day have a military dual use role.

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.

China Tightens Grip on Djiboutian Port

The Wall Street Journal published on 21 February 2019 an article titled "China Tightens Grip on East African Port" by Costas Paris.

China Merchants Port Holdings is asserting control of operations at Djibouti's Doraleh Container Terminal. The Djiboutian government has repeatedly said it alone controls the Doraleh terminal and has told the United States it has no plans to cede control of its maritime assets to Chinese state port operators. All supplies for the U.S. military base in Djibouti come through the port, potentially putting them at risk.

China Expands Presence in Sao Tome and Principe

Eurasia Review published on 24 November 2015 a major analysis titled "Sao Tome E Principe: A Key Piece in Beijing's Chessboard? - Analysis" by Gustavo Placido Dos Santos, a researcher at the Portuguese Institute of International Relations and Security.

Sao Tome and Principe, which is one of three African countries that has diplomatic relations with Taiwan, signed an agreement in October 2015 with China's state-owned China Harbor Engineering Company to build a $800 million deep-water port.  This project coincides with China's growing interest in oil discoveries in the Gulf of Guinea.