DUBAI- Britain's development finance agency CDC Group has hired Citi to advise it on up to $1.72 billion in logistics infrastructure investments it plans to deploy in Africa jointly with Dubai ports giant DP World, two sources said.

The investments will initially focus on expanding ports operated by DP World in Egypt's Ain Sokhna, Senegal's Dakar, and Berbera in Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland, CDC said this week. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2R80BP

State-owned DP Word has committed to investing $1 billion over the next several years, while CDC has committed $320 million and could potentially invest up to a further $400 million.

The partnership plans to invest, along with ports, in infrastructure such as container depots and business parks.

CDC, which is owned by the British state, will own minority stakes in the three ports, with DP World handing over some shares in each.

(Reporting by Davide Barbuscia Editing by Peter Graff) ((Davide.Barbuscia@thomsonreuters.com; +971522604297; Reuters Messaging: davide.barbuscia.reuters.com@reuters.net))