Why is the Djibouti base so important for France?

There is a long history between France and Djibouti. This small East African country is located at the exit of the Red Sea, in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. Linked to this former French colony by agreements signed in 1977 then 2011, Paris has multiple reasons for wanting to keep its place on this confetti of a million inhabitants. We take stock.

Indo-Pacific Strategy

During his meeting this Saturday with his Djibouti counterpart Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, Emmanuel Macron insisted on the importance of France's military presence in Djibouti for the development of its Indo-Pacific strategy. “Our reaffirmed Indo-Pacific strategy, consolidated since spring 2018, could not be done without the French forces in Djibouti”commented the French president.

The Indo-Pacific region covers a vast area of ​​Asia and Oceania including major emerging powers, such as India and China, thus concentrating 60% of global GDP. France is also present there thanks to its overseas departments or territories, such as New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Mayotte and Reunion Island.

From the military base in Djibouti, the 1,500 French soldiers can receive and quickly project forces in the event of a crisis, towards the Indian Ocean or the Middle East. “Here we enjoy unparalleled freedom of action and training”argued in 2021 the commander of the air base of the French Forces stationed in Djibouti (FFDj), Colonel Olivier Saunier. Moreover, in this enclave surrounded by countries in crisis, between Yemen, Eritrea and Somalia, “the interest of our presence is to offer our authorities an assessment of the situation”had underlined the commander of the FFDj, General Stéphane Dupont.

Missions in Africa

Pushed out of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger between 2022 and 2023, France also had to reduce its workforce in Gabon and Ivory Coast. A contingent of 120 French soldiers also left Chad this Friday. Djibouti is then one of the last French bases in Africa. In front of the French troops, with whom he shared a Christmas dinner on Friday, Emmanuel Macron affirmed that the base would be “reinvent” as “projection point” for “missions” in Africa.

“Our role is changing in Africa because the world is changing in Africa, because public opinions are changing, because governments are changing,” declared the head of state, without giving further details. But the competition is tough. Over the past twenty years, several major powers, such as the United States, Japan, Italy and China, have established a foothold in Djibouti, providing valuable income to the authorities.