Dubai warns China over Djibouti free trade zone

Dubai : Dubai threatened yesterday to take legal action against China for building an international free trade zone in Djibouti on a terminal disputed with the strategic Horn of Africa nation.

The warning came one week after Djibouti launched the first phase of Africa’s biggest free trade zone, developed by China, months after scrapping a concession agreement with Dubai’s global port operator DP World. China, which has the only foreign military base near the Red Sea terminal, is developing and financing the free trade zone as it considers Djibouti an important part of its $1 trillion “Belt and Road” global investment initiative.

“DP World reserves the right to take all available legal actions, including claims for damages against any third parties that interfere or otherwise violate its contractual rights,” the port operator said in a statement.

Djibouti in 2017 unveiled three new ports and a railway linking it to landlocked Ethiopia, as part of its bid to become a global trade and logistics hub. The new spat comes with Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled to visit the UAE next week. The zone is being run by Djibouti, the majority shareholder, along with 3 Chinese cos.