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Djibouti, July 17, 2010 — An official agreement of cooperation was
signed yesterday between the Republic of Djibouti, the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID), the terminal operator World (DP
World), based in Dubai, and Family Health International (FHI).
According to a statement issued after the signing ceremony by the
Djibouti Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, “ It
is the first public private partnership funded by the United States to
Djibouti” in order to generate better access to health care along the
Djibouti-Ethiopia corridor.
This development will provide much needed health services and
development project along increasingly busy shipping routs between
Djibouti and Ethiopia.
The document signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding, which was
held yesterday in the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was
attended by Minister of International Cooperation, Mr. Ahmed Ali Silay,
Minister of Health, Mr. Abdallah Abdillahi Miguil, the U.S. ambassador
to Djibouti, Mr. James C. Swan, the representative of USAID in Djibouti,
Stephanie Funk and Project Director FHI, Dorothy Muroki. Also present at
this occasion, the president of the Ports Authority and the Djibouti
Free Zone, Doualeh Mr. Aden, the executive director of the Port of
Djibouti and the Container Terminal Doraleh, Johannes (Hans) de Jong and
the Coordinator of Social Responsibilities of International Company DP
World, Mr. Ethan Chorin.
The alliance between DP World, U.S. and Djibouti governments will
benefit thousands of people along a busy road that connect Djibouti and
Ethiopia. The project is part of International initiative to prevent
spread of AIDS and other epidemics along major transportation areas. The
programs aims to increase awareness and adoption of healthy behaviors to
the risk of transmission of HIV/AIDS, also increase awareness of other
health problems along major transportation corridors in nine countries
in East Africa, Central and Southern Africa, including Djibouti.
More than 800 trucks a day pass along the road connecting neighboring
Djibouti to Ethiopia. The initiative is designed to established 38
awareness posts or “Safe Stops” along the high-risk areas along
transportation routes in the cities of Central and East Africa where
truckers, port workers and members of the community can access basic
medical care, health education and a safe place to rest.
Under the terms of the MOU, the DP World will supervise and finance the
construction of a new community center “Safe Stop,” a 1,600 square feet
facility near the container terminal DP World in Doraleh, on the
outskirts of the capital of Djibouti.
The truckers, port workers and members of surrounding communities will
benefit from the services of a clinic. The facility will include exam
rooms, a private recreation center and Internet access.
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