Saudi Arabia is accelerating efforts to transform Jazan Port in the Kingdom’s south from a regional maritime hub into a global logistics artery linking continents.
Through coordinated initiatives led by relevant authorities, the Kingdom is leveraging the port’s unique strategic location, not only as one of its most successful national projects but also as a key economic gateway to the Horn of Africa and global markets.
By redesigning import and export procedures and removing barriers facing investors, Saudi Arabia is laying the cornerstone for a new phase of trade flows extending from its economic core to distant international markets.
The Horn of Africa includes Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Kenya and Sudan, whose proximity to Jazan Port on the Red Sea strengthens its role as a strategic link between Saudi Arabia and African markets.
The Jazan region’s geographic closeness to the Horn of Africa also helps attract high-quality investments, particularly with the establishment of special economic zones aimed at boosting exports of agricultural, fisheries and other products.
Mohammed Mudhafar, head of the Environment, Water and Agriculture Sector Committee at the Jazan Chamber of Commerce, said the committee is working with relevant authorities to remove obstacles and facilitate import and export operations at the port. He noted that differences in decisions among multiple agencies had created challenges for investors.
Among the main obstacles, Mudhafar said, was the 21-day quarantine imposed on imported livestock at Jazan, which increased costs for companies and pushed them toward other ports.
He said this constraint was removed after coordination with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and the National Center for Plant Pest and Animal Disease Prevention and Control (Wiqaa).
He added that coordinated efforts among government entities have helped resolve these issues, encourage investors and streamline trade flows through Jazan Port.
From the private sector perspective, Khaled Al-Nashiri, head of Khaled Al-Nashiri Trading Company, said the port has become a major commercial gateway to the Horn of Africa.
He pointed to clearer investment strategies, simplified procedures, direct communication with investors, and improved infrastructure and warehouse facilities.
He added that strong government support has facilitated import and export operations, driving rising demand following initial shipments of Saudi-made flour, food products and animal feed to Horn of Africa countries.
Once a key gateway in the 1980s and 1990s, Jazan Port is now re-emerging with greater capacity and organization, positioning itself as a major hub for trade in the coming years.
