They were looking to establish their own trade empires in the east.
Phoenicians continued trading even when they were not independent.
By the empires and trading.
The East India Company established a trading post on modern Singapore in 1819, but local empires were established in the areas as far back as the 2nd century CE.
They were useful sources of gold & spices and a medium for trading. (i.e. They could utilize them as middlemen) Also, there were slaves they could obtain through these nations.
The West African trade empires made their money mainly by trading slaves, salt and gold.
Through slave traders who brought slaves through the Sahara desert to the Mediterranean Sea.
Through slave traders who brought slaves through the Sahara desert to the Mediterranean Sea.
trading
It was exloited
Egypt, Sudan & Zimbabwe
Multiple groups have set up trading settlements along East Africa's coast. A couple of the first groups to do so were the Indian and Muslim Groups. Also, the originating trading began as African culture, so the African group would be apart of the trading settlements as well.