By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter
DJIBOUTI, 12 October 2026 The Chairman of the Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority (DPFZA), Aboubaker Omar Hadi, received Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Djibouti, Matrek Abdullah Al Dosari, at his office on Sunday, where they discussed strengthening economic exchanges and port cooperation between the two countries.
The meeting focused on bilateral economic relations, maritime connectivity and expanding cooperation in the port sector.
Hadi called on Saudi businesspeople to increase their trade with Djibouti, grow their imports and exports, and invest in land within Djibouti's Free Zone.
"This zone provides direct access to East Africa and the wider COMESA market, which has around 600 million consumers," he said.
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To illustrate proximity between the two countries, Hadi noted that the sea crossing between Djibouti and Jazan takes about 24 hours at a speed of 14 to 15 knots, while the journey to Jeddah takes nearly 48 hours at the same speed.
He also proposed increasing weekly flights between Djibouti and the Kingdom to two to make travel easier for businesspeople.
The meeting also discussed preparations for the 8th session of the Djibouti-Saudi Arabia Joint Commission, scheduled to take place in Riyadh in December 2026.