CASE STUDY 6

If geography is destiny, then all small countries with much bigger neighbours are forced to learn to capitalize on the advantages while handling the challenges with tact and finesse.

Few countries come close to Djibouti, a tiny African nation squeezed between Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia, in pulling off this feat.

Djibouti, also called the Horn of Africa, occupies a very strategic maritime location at the mouth of the Red Sea. As a gateway to the Suez Canal, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, Djibouti’s ports service trans-shipments between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The Port of Djibouti is also the principal entrepot for imports to and exports from neighbouring countries in the region.

A global agri-commodities trading company approached us for non-payment risk mitigation solutions for a bulk shipment of wheat to a leading flour mill in East Africa.

Using our structuring expertise and network with a regional correspondent bank, we were able to come up with a special solution involving a leading bank in Djibouti to facilitate these imports.