Introducing Foreign Capital

In September, after the Central Government transferred part of the engineering teams from the south to Northern Province and construction on Mogadishu's new port finally began, the Northern Province government formally invited Austrian merchants interested in agricultural product processing to visit and inspect Mogadishu city through the Hohenzollern Conglomerate's channels.

"Gentlemen, our Northern Province possesses the large-scale tropical crop plantations closest to Europe. Over the years, Mogadishu has always been at the forefront of East Africa's northern fruit and vegetable export trade. With this advantage, if you choose to invest in Mogadishu city, you will certainly reap considerable returns," Kranis told the visiting Austrian merchants at the reception.

"Mr. Mayor, it seems your port only began construction recently. Can you guarantee that Mogadishu Port will be operating normally before we make our investments?"

"That is easily settled. In another two months, once the slack farming season arrives, we will recruit a batch of temporary workers from the surrounding countryside to speed up construction and ensure the normal completion of Mogadishu's new port by the end of the year."

"But building factories in Mogadishu presents no small number of problems. For example, machines require coal to operate, industrial workers are needed to maintain them, and then there are transport, lighting, water supply, and a whole series of other issues."

"Mr. Claire, let us set your concerns aside for the moment. Naturally, Mogadishu city has considered everything you mentioned. This brings us to the Mogadishu New Urban District Plan approved by our municipal government. To accommodate the long-term plans for Mogadishu's new port, our city intends to follow Dar es Salaam city's example and build a new main urban district south of the existing city, where we can house incoming industries," Kranis said.

"You are planning to build an entirely new city?