Djibouti (Dawan Africa) – The Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority (DPFZA) announced on Monday the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of South Sudan to strengthen regional connectivity through the White Nile Corridor.
The MoU was signed at Red Sea World between Aboubaker Omar Hadi, Chairman of DPFZA, and Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin, Minister of Transport of South Sudan, in the presence of Hassan Houmed Ibrahim, Djibouti’s Minister of Infrastructure and Transport.
According to a statement by DPFZA, the agreement will focus on investment and development of river and dry ports in South Sudan, aimed at enhancing logistics integration, trade facilitation, and economic development across the African Great Lakes Region.
“This MoU represents a milestone in strengthening bilateral cooperation and fostering regional connectivity,” DPFZA said.
The initiative is anchored in the White Nile Corridor development plan, which involves two multimodal logistics routes serving South Sudan:
Djibouti Ports Corridor: Road transport via Addis Ababa, Jimma, Gambella, and Nasir, followed by river barge transport through the Sobat and White Nile rivers to Malakal and Juba.
Port Sudan Corridor: Road transport through Kassala and Gadaref to Kosti, then barge transport southbound on the White Nile to Juba via Malakal.
DPFZA added that the corridors will be supported by sea–air cargo solutions via Djibouti Ports to handle high-value, time-critical shipments from Asia.
During the visit, the South Sudanese delegation toured several key Djibouti facilities. At the Doraleh Container Terminal (SGTD), they reviewed state-of-the-art operations and handling capacity. At the Damerjog Industrial Park, they were briefed on the Damerjog Liquid Bulk Port (DLBP), under commissioning to serve as a strategic export gateway for South Sudan’s crude oil. The delegation also visited the Djibouti International Free Trade Zone (DIFTZ), where South Sudan has secured a logistics platform to support its trade flows.
DPFZA emphasized that Djibouti’s location at the Bab el-Mandeb strait continues to position the country as a vital trade hub, while South Sudan stands to benefit from more reliable trade outlets.
