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East Africa International Special Business Zone

Djibouti, Djibouti

2016 - Ongoing

Financial DistrictFree Economic ZoneGrowthMixed Use

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Project Description

Approach Words: Competitive City, Diverse Economy, Urban Livability

Public Policy Instruments: Physical Intervention, Planning

The East Africa International Special Business Zone is a large urban regeneration and development project located in Djibouti city,¹ for transforming Djibouti’s historic port, originally built in 1888, into a thriving international business district.² ³ This transformation forms a key pillar of Djibouti Vision 2035,ⁱ the country’s long-term national development strategy, which leverages Djibouti’s strategic location to maximize global connectivity and economic opportunity.⁴

The project envisions “establishing a mixed-use urban hub of global significance” featuring centered around a world-class central business district. It aims to introduce a new, modern urban lifestyle for Djibouti’s residents, accommodating 30,000 inhabitants, and revitalizing the country’s tourism sector with a state-of-the-art cruise terminal, positioning Djibouti as a global trade and logistics hub.⁵

Title: 3D View of the Business District.

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Title: 3D View of the Business District.

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Title: The Financial Buildings Zone.

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Title: The International Exhibition Center of the Project.

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Title: 3D View of the Business District.

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Title: 3D View of the Business District.

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Title: The Financial Buildings Zone.

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Title: The International Exhibition Center of the Project.

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To implement the project vision and objectives, a master plan was proposed covering a total area of 840,000 square meters to be developed in six phases.⁶ Guided by “Port-Park-City” concept, the project integrates logistics infrastructure, industrial parks, and urban services into a single interconnected development.⁷
This development master plan comprises various urban functions that will include:⁸ ⁹

Residential areas
Financial and commercial buildings
Waterfront developments
Hotel and shopping center
Cruise terminal
Aquarium

The regeneration project will be implemented in six phases. The first is ‘International Demonstration Zone’, spanning 220,500 square meters with $513 million projected cost, which will serve as the district’s centerpiece.¹⁰ This zone will feature an exhibition center, a maritime studies center, conference rooms, a hotel, and apartments.¹¹
Future phases will introduce specialized zones, including a tourism and arts area around the marina, a cultural and educational belt, multinational headquarters, and convention and conference centers.¹²

Owner/Developer (Public)

Government of Djibouti

Djibouti Ports and Free Zone Authority (DPFZA)²⁰

Owner/Developer

China Merchants Group ²¹

Consultant/Designer

China Merchants Group ²²

Funder

China Merchants Group ²³

Contractor/Implementer

Owner/Developer (Public)

Government of Djibouti

Djibouti Ports and Free Zone Authority (DPFZA)²⁰

Owner/Developer

China Merchants Group ²¹

Contractor/Implementer

Funder

China Merchants Group ²³

Consultant/Designer

China Merchants Group ²²

Aligned with the Belt and Road Initiative and promoting the “CIF Djibouti” model,ⁱⁱ the project intends to position Djibouti as a leading trade and investment hub, branding as a “meeting place for exchange”.¹³ It is expected to create over 27,000 direct and indirect jobs,¹⁴ enhance the local business environment, and support the development of human capital and expertise.¹⁵

Through private-public partnership (PPP), the project was initiated by the Government of Djibouti through the Djibouti Ports and Free Zone Authority (DPFZA),¹⁶ in partnership with China Merchants Group, a Chinese multinational involved in infrastructure, real estate, and finance.¹⁷
Implementation began in 2020,¹⁸ with total investment estimated at approximately $3.5 billion.¹⁹

Project Link, Endnotes and References

Project Link

N.A.

Endnotes

i More info about the Djibouti 2035 vision is available in this link: https://economie.gouv.dj/vision-2035-english/
ii CIF Djibouti concept is set to transform the role of the FZs by expediting order placing and receiving process for clients, taking advantage of the business-friendly environment, financial and monetary unrestricted flows. Making FZs more so pivotal to Djibouti’s economic growth.

References

‘Djibouti Commences Transformation Of Historical Port To Launch The East Africa International Special Business Zone | Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 23, 2024, from <https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/djibouti-commences-transformation-of-historical-port-to-launch-the-east-africa-international-special-business-zone/>
‘Djibouti Commences Transformation Of Historical Port To Launch The East Africa International Special Business Zone | Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 23, 2024, from <https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/djibouti-commences-transformation-of-historical-port-to-launch-the-east-africa-international-special-business-zone/>
‘Djibouti Business District | DPFZA’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 23, 2024, from https://dpfza.gov.dj/Djibouti-Business-District
‘Djibouti Commences Transformation Of Historical Port To Launch The East Africa International Special Business Zone | Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 23, 2024, from <https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/djibouti-commences-transformation-of-historical-port-to-launch-the-east-africa-international-special-business-zone/>
‘Djibouti Business District | DPFZA’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 23, 2024, from <https://dpfza.gov.dj/Djibouti-Business-District>
Djibouti Ports & Free Zones Authority [@dpfza]. (2020). ‘The construction of the new business district called the East Africa International Special Business Zone will take place in 6 phases and is due to be completed within 10 yrs. It will sit on a land of approx. 840,000 square metres and have a total investment of over US$3 billion.’ Twitter. Tweet, . Retrieved December 23, 2024, from <https://x.com/dpfza/status/1314125918764498945>
‘Djibouti Commences Transformation Of Historical Port To Launch The East Africa International Special Business Zone | Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 25, 2024, from <https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/djibouti-commences-transformation-of-historical-port-to-launch-the-east-africa-international-special-business-zone/>
‘Djibouti Business District | DPFZA’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 23, 2024, from https://dpfza.gov.dj/Djibouti-Business-District
‘Le Président de la République donne le coup d’envoi des travaux de construction d’une nouvelle Cité d’affaires sur le site de l’ancien Port de Djibouti | LA NATION’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 25, 2024, from <https://www.lanation.dj/le-president-de-la-republique-donne-le-coup-denvoi-des-travaux-de-construction-dune-nouvelle-cite-daffaires-sur-le-site-de-lancien-port-de-djibouti/>
‘Djibouti Commences Transformation Of Historical Port To Launch The East Africa International Special Business Zone | Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 23, 2024, from <https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/djibouti-commences-transformation-of-historical-port-to-launch-the-east-africa-international-special-business-zone/>
mulyungi, patrick. (2020). ‘Port?of?Djibouti regeneration project launched’. Constructionreview. Retrieved December 23, 2024, from <https://constructionreviewonline.com/news/port-of-djibouti-regeneration-project/>
‘Le Président de la République donne le coup d’envoi des travaux de construction d’une nouvelle Cité d’affaires sur le site de l’ancien Port de Djibouti | LA NATION’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 25, 2024, from <https://www.lanation.dj/le-president-de-la-republique-donne-le-coup-denvoi-des-travaux-de-construction-dune-nouvelle-cite-daffaires-sur-le-site-de-lancien-port-de-djibouti/>
‘Le Président de la République donne le coup d’envoi des travaux de construction d’une nouvelle Cité d’affaires sur le site de l’ancien Port de Djibouti | LA NATION’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 25, 2024, from <https://www.lanation.dj/le-president-de-la-republique-donne-le-coup-denvoi-des-travaux-de-construction-dune-nouvelle-cite-daffaires-sur-le-site-de-lancien-port-de-djibouti/>
Ngueyap, R. (n.d.). ‘Djibouti lance le plan de transformation du port de Djibouti en un centre international d’affaires’. Agence Ecofin. Retrieved December 25, 2024, from <https://www.agenceecofin.com/gestion-publique/2110-81586-djibouti-lance-le-plan-de-transformation-du-port-de-djibouti-en-un-centre-international-d-affaires>
‘Le Président de la République donne le coup d’envoi des travaux de construction d’une nouvelle Cité d’affaires sur le site de l’ancien Port de Djibouti | LA NATION’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 25, 2024, from <https://www.lanation.dj/le-president-de-la-republique-donne-le-coup-denvoi-des-travaux-de-construction-dune-nouvelle-cite-daffaires-sur-le-site-de-lancien-port-de-djibouti/>
mulyungi, patrick. (2020). ‘Port?of?Djibouti regeneration project launched’. Constructionreview. Retrieved December 23, 2024, from <https://constructionreviewonline.com/news/port-of-djibouti-regeneration-project/>
‘Le Président de la République donne le coup d’envoi des travaux de construction d’une nouvelle Cité d’affaires sur le site de l’ancien Port de Djibouti | LA NATION’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 25, 2024, from <https://www.lanation.dj/le-president-de-la-republique-donne-le-coup-denvoi-des-travaux-de-construction-dune-nouvelle-cite-daffaires-sur-le-site-de-lancien-port-de-djibouti/>
‘Le Président de la République donne le coup d’envoi des travaux de construction d’une nouvelle Cité d’affaires sur le site de l’ancien Port de Djibouti | LA NATION’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 25, 2024, from <https://www.lanation.dj/le-president-de-la-republique-donne-le-coup-denvoi-des-travaux-de-construction-dune-nouvelle-cite-daffaires-sur-le-site-de-lancien-port-de-djibouti/>
‘Djibouti Business District | DPFZA’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 23, 2024, from <https://dpfza.gov.dj/Djibouti-Business-District>
mulyungi, patrick. (2020). ‘Port?of?Djibouti regeneration project launched’. Constructionreview. Retrieved December 23, 2024, from <https://constructionreviewonline.com/news/port-of-djibouti-regeneration-project/>
‘Le Président de la République donne le coup d’envoi des travaux de construction d’une nouvelle Cité d’affaires sur le site de l’ancien Port de Djibouti | LA NATION’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 25, 2024, from <https://www.lanation.dj/le-president-de-la-republique-donne-le-coup-denvoi-des-travaux-de-construction-dune-nouvelle-cite-daffaires-sur-le-site-de-lancien-port-de-djibouti/>
‘Le Président de la République donne le coup d’envoi des travaux de construction d’une nouvelle Cité d’affaires sur le site de l’ancien Port de Djibouti | LA NATION’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 25, 2024, from <https://www.lanation.dj/le-president-de-la-republique-donne-le-coup-denvoi-des-travaux-de-construction-dune-nouvelle-cite-daffaires-sur-le-site-de-lancien-port-de-djibouti/>
‘Le Président de la République donne le coup d’envoi des travaux de construction d’une nouvelle Cité d’affaires sur le site de l’ancien Port de Djibouti | LA NATION’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 25, 2024, from <https://www.lanation.dj/le-president-de-la-republique-donne-le-coup-denvoi-des-travaux-de-construction-dune-nouvelle-cite-daffaires-sur-le-site-de-lancien-port-de-djibouti/>
‘Le Président de la République donne le coup d’envoi des travaux de construction d’une nouvelle Cité d’affaires sur le site de l’ancien Port de Djibouti | LA NATION’. (n.d.). . Retrieved December 25, 2024, from <https://www.lanation.dj/le-president-de-la-republique-donne-le-coup-denvoi-des-travaux-de-construction-dune-nouvelle-cite-daffaires-sur-le-site-de-lancien-port-de-djibouti/>