Chapter 301: Austrian Business Delegation
The decision to evacuate Venice was not on the table. It was simply too massive a move, and neither Ernst nor the Austro-Hungarian Empire supported such a notion. Instead, East Africa's strategy was focused on relocating Venetian workers who had migrated to East Africa to their new homeland.
Many Venetians had already moved to East Africa to participate in land reclamation projects. Consequently, the industry needed in Nairobi was not enormous but required specialization.
Ernst's original goal was to make Venice an Austrian territory to prevent the possibility of it becoming landlocked in the future. He didn't want to force the remaining Venetians into opposition, seeking autonomy and independence.
East Africa was relatively unconcerned about being landlocked, as most of Germany's sea outlets were concentrated in the Baltic Sea. Moreover, Britain and France effectively blocked Germany from accessing East Africa through a lengthy journey around the west coast of Africa. On the other hand, the Austro-Hungarian Empire relied mainly on the Suez Canal to reach East Africa. While there was a risk of being cut off, both the empire and East Africa had contingency plans. Maintaining the Suez Canal's safety and functionality wasn't solely East Africa's responsibility, as it involved multiple countries and regions along the Mediterranean and Red Sea.
In Mombasa, a lively welcome ceremony was held at the pier for the Austrian business delegation, which had disembarked from a ship flying the flag of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. East African Finance Minister von der Leyen and other government officials attended the event.
Von der Leyen introduced herself to the delegation and welcomed them to East Africa. Wolfgang, the head of the Austrian business delegation, reciprocated with greetings.
Wolfgang took in the sights of Mombasa and noted the city's cleanliness and spaciousness. He questioned von der Leyen about the city's layout, expressing concerns about potential waste.
Von der Leyen explained that East Africa had ample land resources and that spacious city planning was part of creating a comfortable living environment. She emphasized the presence of greenery and described Mombasa as a "garden city." She also pointed out that the wide roads and orderly pedestrian flow contributed to efficient traffic, even though there might be excess capacity at present. The city was designed with future growth in mind.
Wolfgang acknowledged the logic behind von der Leyen's explanation but raised concerns about the timeline for the city's development, asking whether it would take thirty, forty, or more years.
Von der Leyen highlighted Mombasa's current population of 60,000, achieved in just over three years since the city was established. She explained that immigration of skilled workers from Europe, especially those displaced by the war in Venice, would drive urban population growth in the near future. The northern industrial belt, comprising Mombasa, Nairobi, and Kisumu, would be the core of this growth.
Wolfgang was intrigued by the potential and asked about the population sizes of East African cities. However, von der Leyen only mentioned the population of the cities within the northern industrial belt and the overall population in the region, without specifying the total for East Africa.
Von der Leyen also mentioned plans for a large-scale long-staple cotton plantation in the north, with the aim of producing high-quality cotton similar to that of Egypt. Additionally, she highlighted the rich agricultural resources in southern Kenya, including sorghum, wheat, corn, millet, and coffee plantations.
Wolfgang expressed concern about the local medical conditions, given the reputation of Africa for its harsh environment and diseases.
Von der Leyen reassured him, explaining that East Africa had invested significantly in healthcare, sanitation, and environmental transformation. Population loss due to diseases had been minimized to extremely low levels, and the living conditions were comparable to European standards. She emphasized that many East African government officials, including military officers, had been living in the region for several years without health issues.
Wolfgang was comforted by these assurances, and the delegation grew increasingly interested in the opportunities that East Africa offered for investment and growth.