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Chinese state owned "Belt and Road Portal" (domain name ends in .gov.cn) reports that "African countries appreciate China's adherence to the principles of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith". Film at eleven.
by Bernard (bernard) on Wed May 29th, 2019 at 06:57:01 PM EST
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I idly followed up on 'debt trap' developments in the past year, since the Summit. Looks like Dubai has put the squeeze on Djibouti, not unexpectedly considering its beach head value to ahh adversarial combatant proxy wtfs in the straits forthcoming.

Dispute Between Dubai And Djibouti Over Port Seizure Continues, Despite Tribunal Ruling, 3 Aug 2018

London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) ruled that the Djibouti government had acted illegitimately when it seized control of the Doraleh Container Terminal from DP World on February 22 this year.
"English law" vs ROW (ie. Chinese FDI)
Djibouti [had] moved to strip the company of its concession. Under Law No. 202 enacted in 2017, along with a number of decrees issued in 2018, the government gave itself the power to terminate the contract with the Dubai-based port operator.
VOA | Prospect of Chinese Control of Djibouti Port Concerns [US] Senators, 13 Nov 2018b
In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware said they were concerned about Djibouti's termination of a contract for the Doraleh Container Terminal with United Arab Emirates-based DP World in February and the nationalization of the port in September.

Reports that Djibouti, heavily indebted to Beijing, would most likely cede the port's operations to a Chinese state-owned enterprise were "even more alarming," they said.

Djibouti Ordered To Pay $533M In Compensation to Dubai, 4 April 2019

m'k

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed May 29th, 2019 at 07:53:26 PM EST
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"English law"? Djibouti was a French colony until the independence referendum in 1977. Since then, the US military presence has totally eclipsed the French one.
by Bernard (bernard) on Wed May 29th, 2019 at 08:26:24 PM EST
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London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) is about as French as the Rome Statute and the ICC.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Wed May 29th, 2019 at 08:49:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]
post-colonial racketeering, yo
Hong Kong Lawsuit Challenges China's 'One Belt, 19 Feb 2018, more detail
DP World, which filed the lawsuit at Hong Kong's Court of First Instance in August 2018, argues that the Chinese firm caused the Djibouti government to violate a 30-year concession agreement, effective since 2004, that allows it to operate the terminal, along with the option for two 10-year renewals.
[...]
According to FactWire, Djibouti began to express dissatisfaction with DP World in 2009, saying that the concession agreement "gave a foreign company the opportunity to oppose the fundamental interests of the Republic of Djibouti by hindering its economic and social development process."

Djibouti authorities eventually sold 23.5 percent of its shares in DCT to China Merchants Port Holdings in 2013, according to the court documents, a violation of the terms of the concession agreement.

If BoC dropped $700M in grant and loan on Djibouti tommorow, DP World would demand $1.3B. If BoC dropped another 700M on Djibouti, and Djibuouti cut a check same day, UAE would sue at WTO, DPW:DU would sue in USA, and US "allies" of unknown origin would embargo [sic] Djibouti goods.

This is the language of psychopathy world can't take no more.

archived
Hong Kong legislators brawl over contentious extradition law

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed May 29th, 2019 at 08:43:01 PM EST
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Chamber slaves of the patriarchy (developed nations division) yawn, because intersectionality.

South Africa's president names Cabinet that is 50% women

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed May 29th, 2019 at 09:27:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Botswana Decriminalizes Gay Sex in Landmark Africa Case, Republic of

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Tue Jun 11th, 2019 at 05:08:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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