Chapter 302: The Delegation Continues
Upon hearing this, Wolfgang and the others felt some relief. At least from what von der Leyen said, and judging by Mombasa itself, there wasn't much difference from certain Middle Eastern port cities. As for the interior, that remained to be seen – but considering East Africa has gathered so many immigrants, if large-scale disease outbreaks were always happening, they would have long since been unable to bear the losses. After all, bringing in immigrants costs a lot of money.
Wolfgang: "Minister von der Leyen, if Mombasa and the cities you've mentioned, like Nairobi, are so important, why not host your investment promotions in Dar es Salaam, since it's the largest city in East Africa?"
von der Leyen: "Dar es Salaam's status today is mostly historical. Initially, it was the mainland's leading stronghold under Zanzibar, so it developed early. Strictly speaking, it's close to Zanzibar Island – which used to be the core of the Zanzibar Sultanate.
But once the East African Kingdom was established, Dar es Salaam lost that special advantage. Most of East Africa lies on the mainland, so Dar es Salaam is now just one key port among several. Its conditions aren't necessarily better than Mombasa's."
Wolfgang: "How so?"
von der Leyen: "First, Mombasa is in northern East Africa, closer to both Europe and the Far East than Dar es Salaam is. I believe you can guess what that implies – especially since the Suez Canal opened. Dar es Salaam, in a sense, ended up like Venice did after the Mediterranean declined, replaced by Atlantic ports. Its position has further weakened.
Additionally, Dar es Salaam's western region has a rather single-track economy, focused on producing grain. Compared to the area Mombasa serves, it offers less advantage if you're not in grain trading. Sword-sisal is about all they do well, but that's mostly handled around Tanga. I doubt your country would find any special value investing in sisal."
He wasn't incorrect: Austria-Hungary doesn't grow sisal at home, so it lacks direct experience or technology. Meanwhile, East Africa, though it only developed sisal a few years ago, still knows more than any Austrian newcomer would.
Wolfgang: "Yes, ports and shipping routes are major considerations. The Suez Canal means that the entire East African coast is somewhat off the prime route, but Mombasa, being nearer to Europe, at least retains some edge."
Looking only at sea routes, Africa at least borders the Eurasian continent. Were it like South America, East Africa would be far more isolated, or like North America, similarly so. As for Oceania, that would practically be a 'nightmare start' for development. Of course, resources and the economy can change that. For instance, modern Australia is rather like Siberia in 1870, but its minerals will eventually turn it into a "hot commodity."
von der Leyen: "So, shall we tour Mombasa in person? That way you'll get a direct impression."
Wolfgang: "By all means."
At von der Leyen's signal, Mombasa city officials led the visitors through the urban area. Because Mombasa is a free port, it's split into two zones. What the delegation saw upon landing was the 'open zone,' so aside from East Africans, they saw foreign sailors and merchants everywhere. The business atmosphere was lively: taverns, casinos, shops, everything – there was even a Japanese-style 'entertainment' establishment, where most staff came from Japan.
In contrast, the city's 'real face' lay west of the open zone. Comparatively, it seemed lifeless: mostly residential areas, plus the city hall and other administrative agencies. Few people walked the streets, giving them an empty look.
von der Leyen: "The majority of our citizens spend their daytime working in the eastern zone, so around this time the western neighborhoods feel deserted. Mornings and evenings it's busier, when people go to and from work."
Wolfgang: "You seem to have a lot of police. I've noticed so many on our way here."
von der Leyen: "They're crucial for maintaining East African order. Good security requires more than just educating citizens; we also need people to monitor and enforce. But you needn't worry – East Africa's police aren't merely an armed force. They provide services, not just cracking down on crime but also guiding residents, teaching traffic rules, and explaining the law to raise everyone's quality of life and sense of safety."
Indeed, East African police do outnumber what you see in many European cities, for they clamp down on any violation, from petty theft to spitting on the street. According to Ernst, it's about forging a disciplined population. At present, the payoff isn't obvious, but in future it should prove effective. Most immigrants come from rural backgrounds, and city living demands many rules. Proper schooling can take time, but punishing them is an instant lesson.
At an intersection, they spotted black laborers in the middle of clearing a drainage ditch.
von der Leyen: "Besides our ordinary workforce, East Africa also has a certain number of black slaves, or 'laborers.' We deploy them for some infrastructure projects. If you decide to set up a factory here, you can utilize them for certain tasks, cutting labor expenses. We consider that one of East Africa's special perks for investors. All you pay is a modest materials fee, and you get the factory building ready to go."
Wolfgang: "So these workers themselves are available too?"
von der Leyen: "They're only meant to supplement East Africa's labor supply, not replace it. Most workers are still local East African residents."
Wolfgang: "Why not rely on black slaves entirely? That would lower costs the most."
von der Leyen: "Because it impacts our assimilation policy. Depending too heavily on slaves risks backlash. We don't want to become like the United States, constantly grappling with a large Black population in the future."
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