<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
"Times New Roman",serif">French shipping and logistics giant <b>CMA CGM</b> has
finalized a cooperation framework with the Kenyan government to invest <b>Ksh
106 billion ($820 million)</b> into the modernization and expansion of the <b>Port
of Mombasa</b>. The landmark deal marks a significant expansion of the
carrier's port operations footprint across the African continent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Infrastructure Overhaul & Regional
Transit<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0cm" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Terminal
Upgrades</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">: The massive capital injection will
be directly deployed to expand and modernize <b>two major container
terminals</b> at Mombasa, East Africa's largest and busiest port gateway.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Hinterland
Connectivity</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">: Beyond the port gates, the project
aims to optimize inland logistics networks. Mombasa serves as the primary
trade lifeline for several landlocked nations, including <b>Uganda,
Rwanda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Capacity
Expansion</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">: The modernization will drastically
increase cargo-handling capacity, slash container dwell times, and improve
overall supply chain efficiency across East and Central Africa's core
trade corridors.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The PPP Model & African Port Strategy<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0cm" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Public-Private
Blueprint</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">: This deal builds on Kenya's recent
regulatory shift toward Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to fund
critical infrastructure. Kenya's National Treasury has been aggressively
pursuing long-term institutional capital, using infrastructure bonds to
back port modernizations at both Mombasa and Lamu.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Decarbonization
Goals</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
"Times New Roman",serif">: CMA CGM emphasized that the investment
integrates with its broader continental strategy focused on logistics
integration and <b>decarbonizing transport chains</b> via optimized rail
and coastal sea networks.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Continental
Footprint</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">: With this agreement, CMA CGM
solidifies its status as a leading port operator in Africa, adding Mombasa
to its existing portfolio of nine container terminals, which includes
Nigeria’s Lekki Deep Sea Port and Cameroon’s Kribi terminal.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>