Country ... Senegal
Company ... DP World

DP World to build free zone in Senegal

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

DP World to build free zone in Senegal

DP World signs MoU to develop free zone in Senegal. DP World signs MoU to develop free zone in Senegal.

DP World, in cooperation with the UAE government, has signed an MoU with the government of Senegal to develop a free zone in the country.

The chairman of DP World and Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC), Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem said during the signing ceremony that the new free zone would complement the port operations giant’s existing container terminal in the country.

“The new logistics free zone complements DP World’s leading investments in DP World-Dakar Terminal, which stands as West Africa’s largest and most modern container terminal after a new terminal was built in the facility in November 2011, doubling capacity to over 600,000 TEU,” he said.

“As a vital gateway to Senegal’s and West Africa’s growing trade and business sectors, DP World Dakar has created more than 200 jobs for local Senegalese people – specialized training has been given to those terminal employees to level up their skillset and bring operational efficiencies in line with DP World’s global standards,” Bin Sulayem added.

The new free zone will be built in the vicinity of the new Blaise Diagne International Airport, not far from DP World – Dakar Terminal in the outskirts of Senegal’s capital city of Dakar.

According to Bin Sulayem, the new logistics free zone in Senegal, is expected to be one of the most advanced and well-organised free zones in Africa and globally, using state-of-the-art equipment and technology in the operation and management of the zone.

The project will also add new jobs for Senegalese workforce, which would further boost economic growth and social welfare in the country.