Between 2009 and 2018, Dubai Ports World’s CEO showed a direct interest in involving Jeffrey Epstein in his global port-related business dealings
(Paris, 2 April 2026) – The Epstein files confirm the opacity surrounding the development of the Banana Port Project of Dubai Ports World (DP World) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), said the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF) today. Newly released U.S. Justice Department documents lay bare how Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem – the now-disgraced former CEO of DP World – showed direct interest in involving Jeffrey Epstein in DP World-led projects, including the port concession in Banana in the DRC.
According to checked emails, Bin Sulayem was in frequent contact with Epstein, maintaining a steady stream of communications over several years. Among the matters discussed were the financing structures behind two flagship DP World projects: the Port of Banana in the DRC and the London Gateway Ports and Terminals in the United Kingdom. The correspondence indicates that Epstein was not a peripheral figure, but an active conduit in conversations concerning these major port concessions.
Furthermore, records from the Epstein files point to a notable convergence of interests among Jeffrey Epstein and Bin Sulayem in Africa, suggesting a relationship that extended well beyond personal ties into continental business and development projects and potential dealings with heads of state. As early as 2017, PPLAAF’s investigation of the Banana Port Papers revealed serious irregularities in the negotiations surrounding the deep-water port project in Banana. The dealings between the Congolese government and the global port operator DP World raised significant legal concerns. The agreements appeared to have been structured to enable the personal enrichment of several political figures, including DRC’s then-President Joseph Kabila. The entire negotiation process behind this billion-dollar project was alleged to have been tainted by corruption.
“Already back in 2017, PPLAAF rang the alarm on this deal. The possible involvement of Epstein somewhere in the backstage is yet another piece confirming the opacity of a project tainted by red flags of corruption,” said Henri Thulliez, PPLAAF Director of strategy. “Jeffrey Epstein was even kept aware of the advanced negotiations held for the construction of a port, while the Congolese population did not even know the existence of the project.”
Emails show Bin Sulayem outlining a travel itinerary across Africa, with meetings scheduled with senior officials and heads of state, and promising his contact that he would keep him informed of the outcome of the discussions, which demonstrates a degree of coordination between the two men. These meetings were potentially aimed at establishing highly lucrative commercial relationships and raised serious and pressing questions about the appropriateness of continued British government investment in the Port of Banana and in DP World.
These elements are particularly relevant in light of the 2024 announcement by British International Investment (BII) – the UK government’s owned development finance institution – committing up to USD 35 million alongside DP World to support the development of the DRC’s first deep-water container port. According to a 2025 PPLAAF investigation, the project is located within the protected areas of the Mangroves Marine Park in the DRC, further confirming findings from the Banana Port Papers investigation.
Although BII briefly suspended its business relationship with DP World following the revelation of Epstein’s links to Bin Sulayem, this relationship has now resumed. As a publicly backed development lender, BII should hold itself to the highest possible standards. It is against this backdrop that its financing of a private company sitting at the center of these arrangements demands serious examination. These concerns go to the heart of how public money is being channeled into a country where governance failures are already well-documented.
About Jeffrey Epstein
Jeffrey Epstein was a wealthy American financier who ran a decades-long sex trafficking operation, abusing hundreds of underage girls across his properties worldwide. He cultivated relationships with elites across multiple countries, using wealth, blackmail leverage, and social access as currency, with Ghislaine Maxwell serving as his key international recruiter and fixer. Arrested in 2008 and again in 2019 on federal charges, he died in his jail cell — officially ruled a suicide – before facing trial.
About PPLAAF
The Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF) is a non-governmental organisation established in 2017 to protect whistleblowers, advocate on their behalf, and undertake strategic legal actions when their revelations concern the public interest of African citizens.
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Email: communications@pplaaf.org
