Chairman Receives U.S. Ambassador for Discussions on Trade and Logistics Cooperation
Chairman received H.E. Cynthia Kierscht, Ambassador of the United States at the Djibouti International Free Trade Zone (DIFTZ).
The Ambassador visited Djibouti International Free Trade Zone that covers a total area of 4,800 hectares with 240 hectares currently operational that already hosts major logistics, industrial, and commercial activities, with over 1000 companies in all free zones from 39 countries.
The discussions highlighted the Concept CIF Djibouti, an initiative designed to streamline trade flows and optimize logistics operations and supply chain. This model strengthens Djibouti’s positioning as a reliable gateway for regional and international trade. Chairman announced that the launch of a Commodity Exchange Platform is underway, which will operate based on both CIF and FOB models further reinforcing trade facilitation.
The meeting also focused on the Sea–Air Cargo Initiative, a multi-modal logistics platform connecting 28 cities across 25 African countries, positioning Djibouti as a central hub for high-value, time-sensitive cargo across the continent.
Chairman further emphasized Djibouti’s role as a gateway to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) market, the largest integrated market for trade and investment in Africa, comprising 21 Member States and over 600 million consumers, offering vast opportunities for regional and international investors.
In addition, Chairman raised the impact of US tariffs on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), highlighting its role in granting eligible African countries preferential access to the United States market, thereby fostering exports, industrialization, and sustainable economic growth.
Several key areas of collaboration were explored, including the development of a dedicated pipeline connecting the Damerjog oil jetty directly to Camp Lemonnier.
Chairman underlined the importance of the U.S. market. There are 17 US companies established in DIFTZ and the establishment of more American companies is encouraged. Djibouti has a huge potential in renewable energy particularly in the development of wind, solar, geothermal and tidal for the development and industrialization of DIFTZ. Chairman highlighted the potential for exporting Djiboutian salt to international markets notably for use in winter road maintenance operations.
Chairman thanked the Ambassador for US Coast Guards clearance of all vessels with a direct call from Djibouti ports to USA ports. H. E. Ambassador Cynthia Kierscht commended DPFZA for the impressive progress achieved in infrastructure development, recognizing Djibouti’s rapid transformation into a world-class logistics and trade hub.
During the discussions, Chairman reaffirmed that infrastructure development has gone hand in hand with significant investment in human capital, enabling Djiboutians not only to building capacity for Djibouti but also to export expertise internationally, showing the growing regional recognition of Djibouti’s maritime excellence.