DP World moves closer to sealing Senegal port, economic zone deal
Port du Futur in Dakar to serve as gateway to West Africa
Dubai: DP World said on Sunday it will soon be finalising agreements on the construction of a new port and economic zone in Dakar, Senegal.
The project will support the economic growth of the west African country by developing the capital Dakar into a major logistics hub and gateway to west and north-west Africa.
The announcement was made following a meeting between Macky Sall, President of Senegal, and Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
“The economic zone in Dakar will serve as a great aggregator of cargo, creating a hub for African exporters and importers and generating value for Senegal and businesses in the region,” Bin Sulayem said. “We discussed the great progress of the Senegalese economy and the role DP World can play in the development of a port and economic zone serving west and north-west Africa.”
DP World has designed a master plan for the development of the Port de Futur which will see it develop into a multi-purpose port including economic and logistics zones adjacent to the new Blaise Diagne International Airport.
DP World will be responsible for the development of the initial phase of the port, constructing a modern north-west container terminal capable of handling the largest container vessels in operation today.
The development of the Port de Futur allows for the creation of cargo and free movement of goods to support the country’s ‘Plan Senegal Emergent,’ unleashing new trading opportunities that can bring about economic diversification and boost non-resource exports. The port will reinforce Senegal’s position as an Investment and Trade hub in West Africa and help attract new foreign direct investment to the country.
DP World has operations in Senegal, Egypt, Mozambique, Somaliland, Rwanda, Algeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.