Speaking to local media, Djibouti’s Finance Minister Ilyas Dawaleh said that the country welcomes China’s attempt to involve in the country’s port development. The two countries also agreed on a partnership to improve general cooperation between them.
Djibouti has ended its cooperation with Dubai’s DP World, regarding the Doraleh Container Terminal, after a dispute that started in 2012. Recently, the African country reached an agreement with Singapore’s Pacific International Lines (PIL) to increase by a third the amount of cargo handled at the Doraleh Container Terminal. A few months ago, PIL signed a partnership with China Merchants Port Holdings to build new markets in Asia.
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Mr. Dawaleh also said that US don’t have to worry about losing access to Doraleh port. He specifically said that any Chinese involvements doesn’t mean that US will have restricted access to Doraleh as a result of the deal.
Furthermore, Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh visited to China last November, becoming the first head of an African country to visit China since the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October 2017, Xinhua reported.
