DP World sets up Africa investment platform

Port operator ropes in UK’s specialist finance house CDC

DP World has launched an Africa focused investment platform in alliance with the UK’s CDC Group, which specialises in development finance.

Under the long-term investment plan, DP World is contributing its stakes in three existing ports initially and expects to channel a further $1 billion through the platform. CDC is committing about $320 million initially and expects to invest up to a further $400 million. The transaction is subject to certain final regulatory approvals.

Benefits

The platform will invest in origin and destination ports, inland container depots, economic zones and other logistics across Africa to increase trade, create new job opportunities and broaden access to essential goods.

It will initially be seeded with minority stakes in existing DP World assets with significant capacity expansion plans, including Dakar (Senegal), Sokhna (Egypt) and Berbera (Somaliland). Trade enabled through the ongoing expansions is expected to create an additional 138,000 employment opportunities in the wider economy.

By 2035, the ports are expected to support stable employment for around 5 million people indirectly. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, said in a statement: “The partnership will create transformational opportunities for tens of millions of people over the next decade. In CDC, we found a partner with whom we share the common goal to invest in the long term and help build responsible and sustainable infrastructure in Africa, which is key to unlocking the trade potential of the continent.