KHARTOUM denies reports about UAE’s control of Port Sudan
April 26, 2020 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government on Sunday dismissed reports about the control of the country’s largest port terminal of Port Sudan by Dubai’s DP World, one of the world’s biggest port operators.
On Saturday Aljazeera TV reported that the Sudanese government is undertaking measures to hand over control of Port Sudan seaport to the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s DP World.
The report quoted an engineer and team leader under the Sea Ports Corporation who confirmed that “DP World has been seeking to gain control of the country’s port operator”.
In response, Ibrahim al-Badawi denied the accuracy of the report in a tweet released on Sunday.
“The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning affirms that the information circulating about Port Sudan is incorrect,” al-Badawi said.
“Port Sudan is an asset that belongs to the people of Sudan, which can only be dealt with through good governance, integrity and transparency,” he added.
In January of this year, Al-Monitor, a US-based media on the Middle East, reported that DP World had signed a $5 million contract with Ari Ben-Menashe a former Israeli intelligence official to lobby the US government for support in its bid to operate Sudan’s largest port terminal.
DP World, which operates ports around the world from Hong Kong to Buenos Aires
its principal seaport to a company owned by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a move that incensed port workers who say they will protest privatisation of the country’s national terminal.
On 17 February Reuters reported the UAE’s decision to take full control of the DP World as part of a $ 13.9 billion deal that will help the company repay some of its loans. The giant firm operates ports around the world from Hong Kong to Buenos Aires.
(ST)