The strategic location between trade routes of the East and the West (with over USD 2 trillion worth of goods passing through every year, Djibouti is located right at the heart of world trade) gives Djibouti a shipping cost and delivery time advantage to relocating manufacturers when compared to China, USA and India as well as regional competitors. Gateway to Africa. Due to its strategic location, Djibouti city has served as a gate way to global market for inland countries and a regional hub for trading and logistics.
Over 20 shipping lines call at Djibouti Port per week from China. And an inland rail and road network connects seamlessly among Djibouti Port and inland countries.
The largest landlocked country, the 4th economy entity in Africa with 110 million population and abundant natural resources.
Djibouti maintains its currency rate at a fixed parity with USD for over 40 years. Free currency exchange policy.
Under the umbrella of the 3 agreements of AGOA, COMESA, EBA, enable products Made in Djibouti obtain easier access to markets of Europe, North America and most African countries without taxes and quotas.
State governance reforms are on-going to be more efficient and effective. Inclusive cultural diversity with Islam as the common ground. Presence of multiple bases. All together ensure more effective administration and better public order.
Djibouti International Free Trade Zone (DIFTZ), the largest free trade zone in Africa after completion, presents dynamic opportunities for businesses across the globe, which is co-developed and operated by DPFZA and China Merchants Group.
DIFTZ is a model of China-African cooperation in this new era, and an important carrier to undertake China’s OBOR initiative.
DIFTZ has been acting as an important gateway to Africa since it was officially inaugurated in July 2018 under the auspices of the heads of state of Djibouti, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Somalia as well as the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and key shareholders such as China Merchants Group. Nowadays there are more than 190 world famous enterprises from various industries registered in DIFTZ.
The pilot zone, a 240-hectare zone, consists of three functional blocks in the vicinity of Djibouti’s major ports. The full free zone will focus on the development of industries ranging from logistics, marine, construction, automotive to home appliances industries, etc.
DIFTZ is equipped with advanced facilities including high-speed telecommunications, power and water supplies, one-stop service center, office building, hotel, Customs office, roads and parking lots. The pilot zone has four industrial clusters focusing on trade and logistics, export processing and business support:
Logistics Industry Cluster includes transportation, bonded warehousing, logistics and distribution;
Business Industry Cluster includes bulk bonded goods transactions, merchandise display, duty-free merchandise retail;
Business Support Cluster includes financial services, information services, hotel dormitories, office buildings, training, intermediary services;
Processing Manufacturing Cluster includes packaging production, light processing of incoming materials, food processing, marine products, and auto parts assembly.
I, on behalf of DIFTZ, express my sincere gratitude to all of our partners who have been shouldering responsibility with us on this journey so far and continue to support us. All of us are committed to performing our best to achieve the best accomplishment. We are devoted to achieving excellence.
I sincerely invite, hereby, friends and entrepreneurs across the world to visit DIFTZ, invest in DIFTZ, live in DIFTZ and realize prosperous in DIFTZ together.
Best regards.
Jeffrey Ho
CEO of DIFTZ
China merchants group and Djibouti government build PPC(Port—Park—City). Taking DIFTZ(Park) as the carrier, the port, DIFTZ and the city are interdependent. The port brings logistics and trade services to DIFTZ, and DIFTZ brings goods to the port by attracting industrial clusters; Ports and DIFTZ bring commercial services to urban areas, consequently the development of urban services promotes the competitiveness of ports and DIFTZ.
On July 5, 2018, Djibouti International Free Trade Zone held a grand opening ceremony. The heads of state from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Somalia and Sudan and the AU President gathered in Djibouti to witness the opening ceremony.
In 2019, DIFTZ was selected as "Top Ten Free Trade Zones in the World in 2019" by FDI magazine of Financial Times Group.
2020 "GOLDEN CAMEL CHANNEL AWARD"
