East Africa's smallest country Djibouti took a step towards realising its dream of becoming a continental maritime cargo hub with the inauguration of its newest and largest port on Wednesday. The $590 million (527.5 million euro) facility is part of an infrastructure blitz by the country, sandwiched between Ethiopia, Somalia and Eritrea, that includes three other ports and a railroad to the capital of landlocked Ethiopia.
The Doraleh Multipurpose Port (DMP) can handle thousands of automobiles and millions of tonnes of bulk commodities every year, according to a statement from the Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority (DPFZA). "With this new world-class infrastructure, Djibouti confirms its position as a major trading hub for the continent," said Aboubaker Omar Hadi, chairman of the DPFZA, which split the cost of the port with Hong Kong-based China Merchant Holding.