- US$1 billion deal involves Hong Kong-based firm with mainland China operations and Touchroad, owned by Africa-focused Chinese investor He Liehui
- Project in tiny nation of just over 1 million is evidence of the democratisation of space globally, Nigerian space scientist says
The tiny Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti, where China has vast commercial and military interests, could be set to host the continent’s first orbital spaceport.
This comes after Djibouti signed a US$1 billion preliminary deal with a Hong Kong-based firm to build satellite and rocket launching facilities, as the country banks on its proximity to the Equator to attract investments into the space industry.
Sitting at the intersection of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, Djibouti is a major linchpin in China’s maritime Belt and Road Initiative plans, and since 2017 has hosted China’s only overseas naval base to date.
