Djibouti

government
- The Djibouti Ports & Free Zones Authority (DPFZA) is the governmental body of Djibouti that administers and manages the Port of Djibouti and several other facilities in the country. The DPFZA also oversees the management of Djibouti International Free Trade Zone, serving as a liaison between the companies based there and other governmental agencies. The DPFZA reports directly to the Presidential Office.

• Aboubaker Omar Hadi has served as the Chairman of the Djibouti Ports & Free Zones Authority (DPFZA) since July 2, 2011. His career has spanned over 30 years, beginning in the Port of Djibouti where he worked in the Marine Department and Port Control and was responsible for port documentation in 1978. 
• https://www.ft.com/content/9f769694-8815-11e8-bf9e-8771d5404543 Djibouti would be prepared to pay DP World compensation of “more or less half a billion dollars . . . as early as next week” to settle a dispute over control of the city’s Doraleh container terminal. In an interview with the Financial Times, Aboubaker Omar Hadi, chairman of Djibouti Ports & Free Zones authority, rejected talk of arbitration to settle a long-running dispute over the most modern port in east Africa, saying that DP World had to accept it was no longer involved in running the facility. “For us arbitration is over,” he said. “They have to sit down with us, take their money and go.” Last week, Djibouti opened the first phase of a $3.5bn free trade zone in which China Merchants Group and Dalian Port Authority have a stake. DP World, a Dubai-based ports and logistics company, said the new facility was in violation of its exclusive 30-year concession to run Doraleh and warned that it was considering legal action. DP World said in a statement: “This is yet another clear example by the Djiboutian government of violating its contractual obligations and the rights of foreign investors.” In February, Djibouti seized Doraleh after accusing DP World of deliberately under-using the port in favour of other regional terminals, including Berbera in Somaliland, which DP World also runs. “They were trying to control more and more ports in the Red Sea,” said Mr Hadi, adding that DP World had shown no interest in using Doraleh to its full capacity. “That’s when we started saying there’s something wrong here,” he said.

association
- The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is an eight-country trade bloc in Africa. It includes governments from the Horn of Africa, Nile Valley, and the African Great Lakes. Its headquarters are in Djibouti City.

• Countries:   Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda

Strategic importance
- http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/572af7e0-0a1a-11df-8b23-00144feabdc0.html There is no obvious connection at first glance between the grubby, low-rise streets of Djibouti City, capital of the east African state of Djibouti, and the spectacular modern high-rise landscape of Dubai . However, a brief examination of most of the prominent businesses in the tiny state reveals its heavy dependence on investment from the once-rich, now-struggling emirate in its port, logistics and tourism sectors. The country is the most fully developed example of a strategy pursued by Dubai World, Dubai's government-controlled investment vehicle, to boost trade in a series of developing countries and capture some benefits for Dubai's businesses. Dubai World's port operator, DP World, operates Djibouti's ports and airports. Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (Jafza) runs a free-trade zone near a new container port . Dubai World's customs operation runs Djibouti customs and Nakheel, its property arm, has built a luxury hotel. The joint investments were intended to have a transformational effect on Djibouti's economy, generating far greater gains than similar, individual investments. A similar strategy is being followed in Senegal and could follow elsewhere.
- http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/8c33eefc-f6c1-11e5-803c-d27c7117d132.html Thirty per cent of all shipping in the world passes this point on the north-east edge of Africa, where the water narrows to a few kilometres opposite Yemen. A former French colony that became independent only in 1977, Djibouti sits at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, en route to the Suez Canal — a waypoint between Africa, India and the Middle East. Over the past 15 years, the country has set about capitalising on its location at the nexus of international trade: once completed, the Doraleh Multi-Purpose Port will be the largest of eight ports that together will handle containers, livestock, oil, phosphates and more. But the geostrategic ambition of the small, authoritarian state — which at 23,200 sq km (8,950 sq miles) is only slightly larger than Wales — does not stop there. The US, several European countries and Japan have all pinned global military ambitions on Djibouti. Now China is set to do the same.

Afican hk?
- hkej 31mar16 shum article

usa
- 据中通社报道：美军一位高级将领日前表示，驻扎在吉布提的美军人员正与中国军队积极互动，并希望在位于其附近的中国后勤保障设施建成后，继续寻求与中方合作。http://paper.takungpao.com/resfile/PDF/20170330/PDF/a9_screen.pdf

Saudi arabia
- https://www.ft.com/content/c8f63492-dc14-11e6-9d7c-be108f1c1dce Djibouti is finalising an agreement with Saudi Arabia to allow the Gulf state to build a military base in the Horn of Africa nation as Riyadh takes a more assertive approach to regional security. Djibouti, a Muslim nation that is strategically located on the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, already hosts US and French military facilities. The first Chinese base outside of China is also under construction and due to open this year, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Djibouti’s foreign minister told the Financial Times.

uae
- https://www.ft.com/content/9bca1468-f837-11e6-9516-2d969e0d3b65 DP World has won an arbitration case against the government of Djibouti, which claimed the Dubai ports operator made illegal payments to win a concession to operate a container terminal in the Red Sea African state.

Japan
- http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20161015/00178_019.html 據英媒引述日本政府消息指，日本與吉布提政府正在商討有關增加租地事宜，並計劃在擴建後的基地部署C130運輸機和裝甲車，增加駐兵。日方相關人士指，日本需爭取更大影響力，應對中國在吉布提的存在。對此中國外交部發言人耿爽前日稱，中方希望日本能吸取歷史教訓，真正走和平發展道路。



China
- http://pdf.wenweipo.com/2015/05/19/a11-0519.pdf 在非洲東北角亞丁灣西岸，有一個 袖珍小國——吉布提，這個國家雖然 面積只有 2.3萬多平方公里，但卻是扼 守曼德海峽的戰略咽喉，素有「萬國 軍港」美譽，美國、法國、日本等國 都在這裡建有軍事基地。最近，這裡 再度成為輿論焦點，因為吉布提總統 蓋萊日前向外電透露，該國正與中國 協商建立軍事基地。專家認為，分階 段建設一個功能齊全，設備完 善的海外基地，對中國海軍而 言已是勢在必行，這完全 符合國際法和各國通行做 法。將吉布提港打造成為區域航 運和物流中心一直是吉政府的 一大重要目標。據報道，該港 現 有 的 多 功 能 碼 頭 已 年 久 老 舊，設施落後。目前，中國企 業正在承建一個大型多功能碼 頭，其中一期工程預計約 2017 年前後建成。資料顯示，吉布提自 1949年就 開始實行自由港政策。吉布提港 全港共計 12 個泊位 ，海岸線長 2,300米，最大水深為12米。 2013年 1月，中國招商局國際 有限公司與吉方簽訂協議，以 1.85 億 美 元 收 購 吉 布 提 港 口 23.5%的股權。據國際在線報 道，建設多拉雷多功能碼頭是吉 布提港口基礎設施升級和打造區 域航運、物流中心的重要行動之 一。項目一期工程將建 6 個泊 位，能靠泊 10萬噸級船隻，建成 後吞吐量為每年 708萬噸和 20萬 標箱。除了美國，法國一直將北非視 為自己的傳統勢力範圍，吉布提 更是長期處於法國的殖民統治 下。早在 100多年前，法國人登 陸非洲時，便相中了吉布提作為 遠洋船隻加煤補給的根據地。 1888年，法國佔領吉布提全境， 直到 1977年 6月 27日，吉布提才 宣告獨立。據悉，吉布提獨立 後，法國仍通過一個軍事協議， 在吉布提常年駐軍 3,800至 4,500 人。這支駐軍三軍齊全，鼎盛時 期大概有2個陸軍戰鬥團和1個傘 兵別動連；1支增援印度洋艦隊 的海軍部隊、1支突擊隊、1個監 聽站；1支戰鬥機隊和 1個直升機 運輸大隊。 法國的大多數基地在非洲，而 在吉布提的軍事基地是其非洲最 大的軍事基地。這個基地讓法國 可以控制波斯灣到歐洲的最重要 航路，包括控制石油運輸。
- http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/01/21/463829799/china-reaches-deal-to-build-military-outpost-in-djibouti China is moving forward to build what's believed to be its first overseas military facility, in the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti. The outpost is meant to bolster the Chinese navy's efforts to prevent piracy. At least three other countries — the U.S., France and Japan — have military bases in Djibouti, drawn to the country's strategic location and stability. The presence of military ships from those countries and China has been credited with reducing piracy in the region. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said Thursday that the new facility will give logistical support to China's fleet that performs escort duties in the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast. Earlier this week, Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh announced his country and China had reached several economic agreements. One of those deals establishes a free trade zone; another clears the way for Chinese banks to operate in Djibouti.
- http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2087374/how-chinese-investment-boom-changing-face-djibouti
- military

• http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-djibouti-idUSKBN13K05Z China will boost military ties with Djibouti, strategically located in the Horn of Africa, state media quoted a senior Chinese army officer as saying during a visit to a country where China is building its first overseas naval base. In February, China began construction in Djibouti of its first overseas military facility, a logistics base that will resupply naval vessels taking part in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions.
• http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20170728/00178_006.html據悉，解放軍早前已在湛江軍港舉行吉布提部隊成立暨出征儀式，相關軍艦已啟程前往吉布提。而中國位於吉布提的基地，距離美軍吉布提駐軍總部只有約十二公里；美國在吉布提的駐軍約四千五百人，而日本、法國、英國等在吉布提也有駐軍。
• 華駐吉布提保障基地 開展直升機海上醫療後送訓練http://pdf.wenweipo.com/2018/11/10/a12-1110.pdf

- aid/loan

• https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-djibouti/china-grants-economic-aid-to-djibouti-site-of-overseas-military-base-idUSKBN1DN126 

- financial

• http://pdf.wenweipo.com/2016/11/18/b11-1118.pdf 超越集團(0147) 昨宣佈 ，集團於本周二，分別 與非洲吉布提共和國財政部及絲 路國際銀行訂立合作協議，在吉 布提搭建下一代清結算網絡系 統，為中國與吉布提兩國跨境企 業提供清結算服務。

- port

• http://www.chinadailyasia.com/business/2017-03/07/content_15581916.htmlChina Merchants Group, a Hong Kong-based conglomerate with extensive port business, is hoping to replicate the success of Shenzhen's Shekou Industrial Zone in development of its Djibouti port projects.

• http://paper.takungpao.com/resfile/PDF/20170526/PDF/a6_screen.pdf非洲吉布提多哈雷多功能港口（一期）開港儀式24日在吉布提首都吉布提市舉行，吉布提總統蓋萊及吉多位政要，中國駐吉布提大使符華強及中國企業代表，索馬里、埃塞俄比亞等國政要出席。http://paper.takungpao.com/resfile/PDF/20170526/PDF/b5_screen.pdf招商局港口（00144）附屬投資的吉布提多哈雷多功能碼頭（DMP碼頭）日前正式開港，招商局集團副總經理胡建華表示，DMP碼頭開港是吉布提發展的里程碑，招商局與吉布提未來將進一步在老港區改造等多個項目上合作。在開港儀式上，停靠在DMP碼頭的兩艘貨輪，埃塞俄比亞航運的“Gambella”號和中遠的“LE CONG”號長鳴汽笛，向索馬里和吉布提國家領導人以及招商局致敬。
•  https://port.today/dp-world-sues-china-merchants-port-djibouti/ DP World continues to protect its rights in the dispute with the Djibouti government over the Doraleh Container Terminal (DCT), which was illegally seized by the government in February 2018. Now DP World has taken legal action against China Merchants Port Holdings Co. Ltd (CM Port) for building an international free zone on the DCT area. According to The Financial Gazette, the global port operator from the United Arab Emirates filed the lawsuit against CM Port in the High Court of Hong Kong for unlawfully procuring land and inducing the Republic of Djibouti to breach various agreements between this African country and DP World. Now in its lawsuit, DP World seeks damages, interest and a declaration of this unlawful act on the part of CM Port. Under the agreement between DP World and the Republic of Djibouti, DP World was granted exclusive rights over the port and free zone facilities in Djibouti, including container handling facilities. DP World constructed, developed and managed a state-of-the-art container terminal at Doraleh (DCT), which was jointly owned by DP World (33,34%) and a Djibouti state-owned Port of Djibouti S.A. (PDSA)(66,66%). In 2013, China Merchants bought 23,5% of PDSA from Djibouti. However, these exclusive rights were violated, when Djibouti International Free Trade Zone was launched in July 2018, an ambitious project backed by China Merchants, Dalian Port Authority and the investment company IZP Technologies. Following the official opening, DP World called it in a statement “another clear example by the Djiboutian Government of violating its contractual obligations and the rights of foreign investors,” and threatened to take legal action, including claims for damages against third-party operators.

- ftz

• 昨日，由招商局集團、大連港集團及吉布提政府共同合作開發的吉布提國際自貿區於遼寧大連正式開園。吉布提總統伊斯梅爾·奧馬爾·蓋萊、部分非洲國家元首、中國駐吉布提大使符華強等出席開園儀式。上午10時40分，吉布提港口與自貿區管理局主席阿布貝克·奧馬爾·哈迪、招商局港口董事總經理白景濤、大連港集團常務副總經理徐健代表三家股東將取自吉布提塔朱拉灣、深圳灣、大連灣的海水倒入名為「吉樽」的容器永久存放。隨着第一台貨車駛入園區，吉布提國際自貿區正式封關運作、開門納客。據悉，吉布提國際自貿區規劃總面積48.2平方公里，其中一期項目6平方公里。先期開工建設2.4平方公里一期工程起步區，包括1平方公里的商貿物流園區、1平方公里的出口加工區以及0.4平方公里的商務配套區，現已吸引物流、貿易、汽車、機械、建材、家電、海產加工、食品加工等20餘家中國企業入園設廠。2016年11月，招商局集團、大連港集團、億贊普集團、吉布提港口與自貿區管理局共同簽署吉布提自貿區項目投資協議。2017年1月，包括大連港集團在內的各股東方代表簽署吉布提自貿區項目股東協議，自貿區項目正式開工建設。大連港方面表示，園區運營商將以吉布提作為「絲路驛站」試點，複製升級深圳「蛇口模式」，通過港口、臨港園區及公路、商業服務設施等硬環境建設和通關、結算、支付以及大數據等服務軟環境建設，探討「前港、中區、後城」的綜合開發模式，帶動中國東北地區的優勢產能及企業到非洲投資和經營。http://pdf.wenweipo.com/2018/07/06/a19-0706.pdf

- railway

• http://paper.takungpao.com/resfile/PDF/20160802/PDF/a21_screen.pdf 有份參與埃塞俄比亞至吉布提鐵路修建的中土集團成功獲得“埃塞─吉布提鐵路”六年運營權。這條終點為中國首個海外後勤基地吉布提的鐵路，勢必成為今後中國海外利益的重要一環，也將成為中國經驗在非洲復製的典型案例。

- electricity

• 8月30日，由中国企业特变电工承建的吉尔吉斯比什凯克热电厂改造项目正式竣工投产。新建成的热电厂发电量从原来的每年2.62亿度提高到17.4亿度，供热量则增加近1倍，是比什凯克首座现代化热电站。http://paper.takungpao.com/resfile/PDF/20170901/PDF/a7_screen.pdf

- natural gas

• https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-djibouti/china-grants-economic-aid-to-djibouti-site-of-overseas-military-base-idUSKBN1DN126 Last week, China’s POLY-GCL Petroleum Group Holdings Ltd signed a memorandum of understanding to invest $4 billion in a natural gas project in Djibouti.

- investors from china

• http://paper.takungpao.com/resfile/PDF/20160309/PDF/a16_screen.pdf 前法國殖民地中的法國軍人俱樂部卻被一家中國企業買走了。　買下法軍俱樂部，具體操辦的是中土集團項目經理牛增祥。這名北京爺們説話爽快，手腳麻利，對已經出海的中國企業買什麼，如何買有?自己獨到的想法。　牛增祥他們本來是到吉布提修鐵路的，卻打破了原來修完就撤的老路子。“最重要的是對吉布提未來很有信心，買下法軍俱樂部純屬是當地朋友幫了大忙。”? 回憶起動輒在四十幾度高温奔波的日子，牛增祥説：“一開始就是以維修設備的名義進去考察看看，後來也沒有敢説直接買，而是以租的名義，一個環節出差錯都不行。”　　買下了法軍俱樂部，修葺一新的花園，不僅解決了中土吉布提公司辦公用地，正在修建的房建設施還可以為後來的中國企業所利用。在不少吉布提人看來，更是中國企業長久負責任投資的標誌。　　法軍俱樂部被中土收入囊中，牛增祥他們還要買買買。“吉布提石頭多，炸藥成品需求量大，我們準備買一塊地，建設炸藥原材料生產基地，供應吉布提的同時也可以給周邊國家。”　　除了掘金基建市場之外，想買的還有旅遊產業。“我們做了一個旅遊中心區規劃，等以後吉布提若能變成像香港那樣的免税港，沿海資源就越來越稀缺了。”　　説幹就幹的牛增祥他們已經行動，與吉布提財政部成立聯合公司，持股比例是51比49。在他的眼中，未來還想買的還有許多：倉庫做物流、車隊做物流，用流行的那句廣告詞説是，“吉布提的明天，買到就是賺到。
• http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/1959471/chinese-navy-logistics-base-djibouti-will-drive-other

hk
- cuhk intern singtao 29oct18 f1