About our Djibouti news
Latest news on Djibouti, covering politics, military bases, Port of Djibouti, Red Sea trade, and key developments in this strategic Horn of Africa nation.
Djibouti is a small East African country with a population of approximately 1.2 million people, strategically positioned at the southern entrance to the Red Sea where it meets the Gulf of Aden. The nation's location overlooking the Bab al-Mandab Strait, through which an estimated 15 per cent of global maritime traffic passes, has made it a vital hub for international trade and regional security. This geographic advantage has transformed Djibouti into one of Africa's most geopolitically significant states, hosting multiple foreign military bases and serving as the primary maritime gateway for landlocked Ethiopia.
The country's political landscape faces significant scrutiny as it approaches presidential elections scheduled for April 2026. President Ismail Omar Guelleh, who has governed since 1999, announced his candidacy for a sixth term following a constitutional amendment in October 2025 that removed the presidential age limit of 75 years. Opposition groups and human rights organisations have criticised the move as undermining democratic governance, while the government maintains it ensures stability in an unstable region. Djibouti's political system is dominated by the ruling Union for a Presidential Majority coalition, which holds considerable control over the National Assembly.
Port and logistics operations form the backbone of Djibouti's economy, accounting for approximately 50 to 70 per cent of GDP and driving economic growth of around 6 per cent annually. The country operates seven specialised port facilities, including the Port of Djibouti and the Doraleh Multipurpose Port, which handle over 90 per cent of Ethiopia's maritime trade. The Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, completed in 2018, has reduced freight transit time from more than three days to less than 20 hours. Djibouti's port infrastructure attracts significant transshipment activities, with the country earning approximately $125 million annually from rents paid by foreign military installations operated by the United States, France, China, Japan, and Italy.
Djibouti's population comprises two main ethnic groups: the Issa-Somali, who constitute approximately 60 per cent of the population, and the Afar, who make up most of the remainder. Political power has historically been concentrated among the Issa community since independence, leading to periodic tensions and a civil conflict in the 1990s that ended with a power-sharing agreement. The country maintains a delicate ethnic balance, with an Issa president traditionally balanced by an Afar prime minister. Despite poverty declining from 19 per cent in 2017 to an estimated 14.7 per cent, significant socioeconomic challenges persist, particularly in the capital's sprawling districts.
The nation gained independence from France on 27 June 1977, following referendums in 1958 and 1967 that had favoured continued French administration. Previously known as French Somaliland and later as the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas, the territory's path to sovereignty was marked by nationalist movements and ethnic tensions. Hassan Gouled Aptidon served as Djibouti's first president from 1977 until 1999, establishing many of the political structures that continue to shape the country. In antiquity, the region was part of the Land of Punt and later hosted medieval sultanates, reflecting its long history as a trading crossroads between Africa, Arabia, and Asia.
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