A Small Yet Extremely Important Nation is At the Forefront of Global Tensions

To start, let me ask a question:

Japan’s only offshore, foreign military base is located in what nation?

1. South Korea

2. U.S

3. Italy

4. Djibouti

If you guessed Djibouti, you can stop reading this article right here! For the rest of us who didn’t know, don’t fret- not many Americans have ever heard of Djibouti, or about its political and militaristic importance.

But where is Djibouti? Djibouti is a small northeastern African nation nestled between Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia. More importantly, Djibouti’s strategic location on the tip of Red sea provides a direct seawater access which in turn gives it control of a small inlet called the Bab-El Mandab, or the Gate of Grief in Arabic. This inlet is the main reason why so many large nations have bases here- over 30% of the world’s shipping goes through this small water body connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. While Yemen also is at the tip of this economically important sea, it is unfortunately in a constant state of civil war and unrest, making it an unreliable place for nations to protect their economic interests. In the past two decades, many of the world’s strongest militaries have made their presence known in the area, with the US in 2002, followed by France, Japan, Italy, the EU, Saudi Arabia, and most recently, China. India and Russia are both also interested in establishing a military presence there. With easy access to geopolitical hotspots in the area such as Sudan, Somalia, and Ethiopia, along with massive oil contracts, Djibouti is the perfect African nation for global engagement. But how did Djibouti get to this point and how does the power struggle between powerful nations in the area affect the Locals.Djibouti’s modern history begins when France colonized the area in 1883, establishing it as part of their claims in an area called French Somaliland. When Somalia gained independence in 1960, the people of Djibouti voted to remain with France. Eventually, tensions came to a boiling point in 1977, when Djibouti declared independence from France, establishing the Djibouti Republic. Since then, not much has changed from the times of their colonial oppressors. Djibouti’s government currently runs under a one-party system, with all power resting in the executive branch. Djibouti has only had two leaders since 1977; Hassan Gouled Aptidon, and his nephew, Ismail Omar Guelleh, who took over in 1999. In addition, most of Djibouti’s GDP comes from other nations such as the USA who pay hefty amounts of money to maintain their presence in the area. Most recently, China has been cozying up to Djibouti as part of its Belt and Road Initiative, another name for expanding China’s soft power globally. In the past eight years, China has established a military base there, funded water pipelines for local residents, and helped with the upkeep of ports. The Djiboutian government now owes over 1.5 billion dollars to a Chinese bank, along with inflaming relations with the U.S and her allies. The Djiboutian people are unhappy about these recent developments. Over the years, the Djiboutian people have shown discontent with Guelleh’s rule, and want change. Their situation is horrendous compared to the amount of money flowing into the nation- unemployment rates are high, they rank low on every human rights index, and disease runs rampant. Up until now, change has been slowly trudging along, with no signs of rapid change or improvement in the situation.

Conclusion:

Djibouti is a small yet extremely important African country. The world’s interest in Djiibouti goes back to ancient times, culminating in many of the world’s largest nations establishing firm military presences in the sovereign nation. Djibouti’s proximity to global hot spots such as Yemen and the Horn of Africa, coupled with its precise positioning along the Red Sea, a hotbed for trade, all benefit the government tremendously. Recently, the Chinese government has invested billions of dollars into the area, building everything from a new military base to water pipelines. With the U.S taking an aggressive stance in the area, a new front has been opened in the unofficial new Cold War between the two adversaries. While the government of Djibouti stands to gain from this conflict, the people of Djibouti are frustrated with the current state of affairs, with their quality of life being one of the poorest in the region. However, with billions of dollars at play from the world’s largest nations, for now, the status quo will be the norm in Djibouti, and as global tensions rise, Djibouti’s position will become even more important.