A major multi-million dollar deal has been concluded between Emirati giant DP World and Tanzania, sparking considerable interest in Africa’s cargo sector. This initiative seems to be part of the strategy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) aimed at strengthening its presence and influence in this area on the African continent.
The existence of this deal, worth $250 million, first came to public attention in July. The announcement immediately drew criticism from Tanzania’s opposition, which expressed concerns about the constitutionality of the deal, claiming it could compromise national sovereignty. These concerns were vehemently raised, but the Tanzanian government, through Transport Minister Makame Mbarawa, refuted the allegations saying that this deal would not result in job losses and that Tanzania would benefit from 60% of the benefits derived from this collaboration.
a few days ago the Emirati company announced on its website the signing of an agreement to exploit the port of Dar es Salaam for the next 30 years. It is worth noting that the United Arab Emirates currently ranks fourth among investors in Africa, after China, Europe and the United States. Over the past decade, they have invested close to $60 billion in various sectors, including infrastructure and energy, on the African continent.
As a reminder, activists had taken legal action to halt the proceedings. They were rejected by the courts of their country. In fact, the High Court in Mbeya, a city in southwestern Tanzania, rejected the petition of activists who were also briefly detained after planning anti-government demonstrations according to our information.
DP World, a company founded in 1999 and owned by the ruling families of the Emirates, has played a key role in strengthening the Emirates’ presence in Africa. The company expanded its footprint by expanding
