DP World Group Chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem is proceeding with his annual tour around West and North Africa calling at existing DP World facilities and meeting heads of the states and business leaders to explore trade links and solutions connecting Africa to the world, informs the company.
Thus, Mr. Bin Sulayem met President of Senegal Macky Sall and discussed the development of the port of Dakar and the future Port Du Futur, a multi-purpose port with the economic and logistics zones to be constructed near the new Blaise Diagne International Airport. Port de Futur is intended to be one of the most advanced and well organised free zones in Africa outfitted with the latest state-of-the-art equipment and technology. It will provide seamless movement of cargo to neighbouring countries and over 200 mln people in 16 landlocked African nations. The construction of Port Du Futur is to start before the end of 2018 together with agreement on land allocation for the associated freezone.
Meanwhile, DP World will also provide a master plan for redevelopment of the old port of Dakar, where the company operates Senegal’s busiest container terminal, into a major logistics hub and gateway.
Last week, Mr. Bin Sulayem also met with President of Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, to discuss a transportation and logistics strategy to boost trade potential and use of extensive inland waterways of the landlocked African country with a long history of trade in gold and agricultural products.
Later, Mr. Bin Sulayem visited Ghana and held the negotiations with President Nana Akufo-Addo, on cooperation in customs technology, port operations, freezone development, rail transport and inland container depots to develop trade and support businesses aiming to reach international markets.
Mr. Bin Sulayem highlighted Ghana’s recent agreement with Dubai company Customs World to supply customs clearing services in the country as an example of making processes more efficient, lowering costs for ports and transport providers and enabling more efficient trade flows.
Customs World, a subsidiary of Dubai government’s Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, provides customs solutions to Dubai World and exports them to the world. In September 2017, Customs World acquired West Blue Ghana Ltd, a Ghanian IT company, to provide a national single window and risk management system. Customs World plans to invest in new technologies and training in customs digital platforms as it does in other countries worldwide.
DP World Group Chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, said: “Trade and not just aid is one of the key action points African nations have raised and development of infrastructure and transport connectivity will help considerably. Trade is a gateway to development and regional cooperation through public private partnerships. Africa is in a unique position where it has the chance to trade with an untapped market – itself.”
Across Africa, DP World has operations in Senegal, Egypt, Mozambique, Djibouti, Algeria and Somaliland where it is developing a multi-purpose port project at Berbera. It also secured a 25-year concession to develop and operate a new logistics centre in Kigali, Rwanda in 2016.