• To improve container facilities in Djibouti in order to increase port traffic and open up new opportunities for investment and growth, including breaking the country's reliance on trade with Ethiopia for its economic growth
• To establish Djibouti as a gateway for Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COME-SA) members, and subsequently to promote regional integration through trade development
• To capitalize on Djibouti's highly strategic location along the east-west African shipping lanes
• To benefit from the transfer of management expertise and technology and to increase employment and invigorate the local economy; during the construction phase, it is expected that approximately 350-500 local workers will be employed; on completion, the port will employ about 670 full-time workers.