Dubai’s DP World to upgrade, maintain Eritrean ports

The Red Sea state of Eritrea contracted DP World to upgrade its ports as regional peace brings increased business to its shores.

Formerly isolated Eritrea is normalising foreign relations after signing an historic peace deal in July 2018 with neighbouring Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most populous nation. The two countries fought a border war two decades ago that claimed as many as 100,000 lives.

“DP World has facilitated the replacement of important equipment which was required and requested by the Eritrean port authorities to maintain operations and meet increase in demand for port services,” the harbour operator said in response to emailed questions.

The Dubai-based company has been monitoring “opportunities in the Horn of Africa,” it said. In 2018, its stake in a port in Djibouti, Ethiopia’s main trade route, was nationalised by the government.

Eritrean Information minister Yemane Gebremeskel didn’t respond to an emailed request for comment sent a week ago.