Djibouti Passport

The Republic of Djibouti, La R é publique de Djibouti.

【 Area 】 23200 square kilometers.

The population is approximately 1.13 million. There are mainly the Issa and Afar ethnic groups. The Issa nationality accounts for 50% of the national population and speaks Somali; The Afar ethnic group accounts for about 40% and speaks the Afar language. There are also a few Arabs and Europeans. The official languages are French and Arabic, and the main ethnic languages are Afar and Somali. Islam is the state religion, with 94% of the residents being Muslims (Sunni) and the majority being Christians.

The capital city is Djibouti ville, with a population of approximately 620000.

【 Head of State 】 President Ismail Omar Guelleh, who took office in April 1999, was re elected as President four times in April 2005, April 2011, April 2016, and April 2021.

Independence Day: June 27th.

【 Overview 】 Located on the west coast of the Gulf of Aden in northeastern Africa, the Mandeb Strait is a key gateway from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean. It borders Somalia to the southeast, Eritrea to the north, and Ethiopia to the west, southwest, and south. The land boundary is 520 kilometers long and the coastline is 372 kilometers long. The coastal areas are plains and plateaus, mainly characterized by a tropical desert climate, with hot weather and little rainfall throughout the year. The mainland is dominated by plateaus and mountains, with a tropical grassland climate. The whole year is divided into two seasons: cool and hot. April to October is the hot season, with an average temperature of 37 ℃ and a maximum temperature of over 45 ℃; The cool season is from November to March of the following year, with an average temperature of 27 ℃.

Before the colonial invasion, Djibouti was ruled by three Sudanese kings: Houza, Tajura, and Obok. France began its invasion in 1850 and occupied the entire territory of Djibouti in 1888. In 1896, France established the "French Somalia" colonial government in Djibouti. In 1946, it became a French overseas territory and was renamed as the "French Territory of Afar and Issa" in 1967. The French government granted it actual autonomy. On December 31, 1975, France declared its agreement to Djibouti's independence. On June 27, 1977, Djibouti declared independence and established its name as the Republic of Djibouti, with Hassan Gouled Aptidon serving as its first president.

After independence, President Guled formed a coalition government with some political parties. In 1979, Guled abolished the multi-party system and established the People's Alliance for Progress (referred to as the People's Alliance), which established a one party system in 1981. Afterwards, the People's Alliance held power for a long time and the political situation remained stable. In 1991, the northern Afar ethnic group launched a civil war due to dissatisfaction with the rule of the Issa ethnic group. At the end of 1994, the government signed a peace agreement with opposition armed groups, and the war was basically quelled. National peace was achieved in 2001.

Ji announced the implementation of a progressive multi-party system in 1992, and in the first multi-party legislative elections that year, the People's Alliance won all seats. In 1999, President Guelleh retired and was elected president. In September 2002, a multi-party system was fully implemented. In January 2003, the "Presidential Majority Alliance" composed of four parties including the People's Alliance won all seats in the legislative elections. In April 2005, Guelleh won the presidential election and was re elected as president. In February 2008, the "Presidential Majority Alliance" once again won all seats in the legislative elections. In April 2010, the People's Alliance pushed for parliamentary amendments to the constitution, lifting the restriction that the president could only be re elected once. In April 2011, Guelleh was re elected as president. In February 2013, during the legislative elections, the "Presidential Majority Alliance" won 55 out of 65 seats. In April 2016, Guelleh was re elected as president for the third time. In February 2018, during the legislative elections, the "Presidential Majority Alliance" won 57 out of 65 seats. In April 2021, Guelleh was re elected as president for the fourth time. In March 2023, during the legislative elections held by Yoshitsugu, the "Presidential Majority Alliance" won 58 out of 65 seats.

The current Constitution was passed by a national referendum on September 4, 1992 and promulgated for implementation. In April 2010, the parliament passed a constitutional amendment that abolished the limit on the number of times the president could be re elected and stipulated that the president would be directly elected, with a maximum age limit of 75 for candidacy and a term of five years; When the President is unable to exercise his powers due to unforeseen circumstances, the Prime Minister shall act on his behalf; When the presidential position becomes vacant, the President of the Supreme Court temporarily acts as the head of state, but no adjustments may be made to the government or any national institutions, and a new president shall be elected within 30-45 days. The Constitution also stipulates the abolition of the death penalty. Political parties must be non racialized, non nationalized, non religious, and non regionalized.

The National Assembly is the highest authority of the country and enjoys legislative power. The parliament holds two annual meetings each year, mainly discussing legislative issues and the next fiscal year's budget. There are a total of 65 members of parliament elected by the legislature for a term of five years. The current parliament will be elected in March 2023. The Presidential Majority Alliance holds 58 out of all 65 seats. The Speaker is Dileita Mohamed Dileita, elected in March 2023 for a term of 5 years.

The government adopts a presidential system, with the president serving as the head of government and appointing a prime minister who is responsible for coordinating the work of various ministries. The current government was established in May 2021, with key members including Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, Minister of Justice, Prisons, and Human Rights Ali Hassan Bahdon, Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industry Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Government Spokesperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Minister of Defense and Parliamentary Relations Hassan Omar Mohamed Bourhan, Minister of Interior Said Nouh Hassan, and Minister of Budget Isman Ibrahim Robrey Isman Ibrahim Robleh, Minister of Health M. Ahmed Robleh Abdileh, Minister of National Education and Vocational Training Moustaha Mohamed Mahamoud, Minister of Higher Education and Research Nabil Mohamed Ahmed, Minister of Women and Family Mouna Osman Aden, Minister of Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, Livestock and Aquatic Resources Mohamed Ahmed Awaleh, Minister of Infrastructure and Equipment Hassan Houmed Ibrahim, Minister of Muslim Affairs and Religious Property Moumin Hassan Barre Moumin Hassan Barreh, Minister of Social Affairs and Solidarity Ouloufa Ismail Abdo (female), Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Younis Ali Guedi, Minister of Labor, Standardization and Social Security Omar Abdi Said, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development Mohamed Abdoulkader Moussa Helem, Minister of Cities, Urban Planning and Housing Amina Abdi Aden (female), Minister of Communications, Postal and Telecommunications Radwan Abdillahi Bakhton Bahdon, Minister of Trade and Tourism Mohamed Walsama Dirie Warsama Dirieh, Minister of Youth and Culture Hibo Moumin Assoweh, Minister of Decentralization Kassim Haroun Ali, Minister of Digital Economy and Innovation Mariam Hamadou Ali, State Secretary for Investment and Private Sector Development Safie Mohamed Ali Gadileh, State Secretary for Sports Hassan Mohamed Kamil.

[Administrative divisions] The country is divided into one city and five regions: Djibouti ville, R é gion de Tadjourah, R é gion d'Obock, R é gion d'Ali Sabieh, R é gion de Dikhil, and R é gion d'Arta.

The judicial system implements the separation of powers, judicial independence, and lifelong tenure of judges. The Supreme Council of Judges presided over by the President is responsible for supervising the work of judges. The judicial institutions are divided into four levels: county courts, first instance courts, appellate courts, and the Supreme Court. As an Islamic country, Ji also has personal law courts (formerly known as Islamic courts).

There are currently nine legal political parties:

(1) Rassement Populaire pour le Progr è s-RPP: a member party of the ruling coalition, established on March 4, 1979. Mainly composed of the former African People's Alliance for Independence. Since the government abolished the opposition party in October 1981 until 1992 when Kyrgyzstan switched to a multi-party system, the party has been the only legal political party in Kyrgyzstan. President Guelleh was re elected as the party chairman at the 11th National Party Congress in 2014, the 12th National Party Congress in 2018, and the 13th National Party Congress in 2022.

(2) Front pour la Restauration de l'Unit é et de la D é mocratie-FRUD (Front pour la Restauration de l'Unit é et de la D é mocratie-FRUD): a member party of the ruling coalition, its predecessor was a political party established in August 1991 by the northern Afar ethnic rebel forces. It was recognized as a legitimate political party in 1996. The first National Congress was held in 1997, and it was decided to form an alliance with the ruling party, the People's Alliance for Progress, to defend the party's purpose through peaceful means. The chairman is Ali Mohamed Daoud, and the general secretary is Ougoureh Kifleh Ahmed.

(3) National Democratic Party (Parti National D é mocratique PND): a member party of the ruling coalition, established in October 1992 with the aim of maintaining national unity and independence. Advocate for the establishment of a truly democratic society, implementing free elections, judicial independence, and press freedom; Implement a market economy; Oppose racism and nationalism. The chairman is AbduraHMAN MOHAMED ALLALEH.

(4) Social Democratic Party (PSD): a member party of the ruling coalition, established in October 2002. The goal is to maintain social order, restore the economy, coordinate leadership policies, regulate wages, and reduce living expenses. The chairman is Moumin Bahdon Farah.

(5) The Union des Partisans de la R é forme UPR, a member party of the ruling coalition, was established on March 1, 2005. Actively participated in the activities of the "Presidential Majority Alliance" and officially signed a document to join the alliance in December 2007. Advocate the implementation of harmonious policies and the construction of a country that meets the requirements of the times. The chairman is Ibrahim Chechem Daoud.

(6) Alliance R é publicaine pour la D é mocratie-ARD, an opposition party, was established on October 6, 2002. Ahmed Youssouf Houmed has been the chairman since 2004.

(7) Union pour la D é mocratie et la Justice UDJ, an opposition party, was established on October 13, 2002, with Ismael Guedi Harred as its chairman.

(8) The Djibouti Development Party (Parti Djibouti pour le D é evelopment PDD), an opposition party, was established on September 2, 2002, with its chairman being Mohamed Daoud Chechem.

(9) Centre des D é mocrates unifi é s: an opposition party founded in September 2012, with Omar Elmi Khaireh as its chairman.

Ismail Omar Guelleh: President. Born on November 27, 1947 in Ethiopia, of Issa ethnicity, practicing Islam. After achieving independence in 1977, he served as the Director of the Presidential Office. In 1978, he concurrently served as the Director of National Security. In 1982, he was appointed as a member of the Central Committee and Political Bureau of the People's League. In March 1997, he was elected as the third vice chairman of the party. In early 1999, the ruling two party alliance officially nominated him as a presidential candidate and he was elected president in April. Elected as the Chairman of the Progressive People's Alliance Party in March 2000. He was re elected as president four times in April 2005, April 2011, April 2016, and April 2021.

Abdul Qader Kamal Mohammed: Prime Minister. Born in 1951, received higher education in France and obtained a Master's degree in Water Science. Previously worked in the water department of Djibouti. From 2005 to 2011, he served as the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Marine and Water Resources. Appointed as Minister of National Defense in 2011. From March 2013 to present, serving as the Prime Minister.

Ji is one of the least developed countries in the world in terms of economy. Natural resources are scarce, the foundation of industry and agriculture is weak, and over 95% of agricultural and industrial products rely on imports. The transportation, commerce, and service industries (mainly port services) dominate the economy, accounting for approximately 80% of the gross domestic product. In recent years, the Djibouti government has actively adjusted its economic policies, sought foreign aid and investment, focused on developing the tertiary industry, and accelerated infrastructure construction, actively participating in the process of regional integration. The gross domestic product of Kyrgyzstan in 2023 is 4.1 billion US dollars; Economic growth rate: 6.7%. (Source: World Bank)

【 Resources 】 Resources are scarce, mainly including salt, limestone, perlite, and geothermal resources. The total reserves of salt mines are about 2 billion tons, mainly distributed in the Asar Salt Lake. Limestone and gypsum mines are both high-quality minerals with shallow burial depth, large reserves, and easy development; The estimated reserves of perlite are 48 million tons; Gold bearing structures have been discovered in all four regions of mainland China. Oil bearing structures have been discovered in coastal areas. Geothermal resources are abundant, but due to the high salinity of groundwater, development is difficult.

The main industries include electricity, water conservancy, housing and public works, salt mine development, etc. There are also some construction industries, as well as small-scale industries such as mineral water plants, Coca Cola beverage factories, flour mills, bottle factories, dairy factories, pharmaceutical factories, cement factories, machinery repair, ship repair, oil refining, leather manufacturing, and power generation.

Agriculture, animal husbandry and fishery are mainly based on animal husbandry. The arable land area is 10000 hectares. We cannot be self-sufficient in food and receive food aid from countries such as the European Union, France, and Japan every year. The fishery resources are relatively abundant, but the current fishing industry is still relatively backward, using manual fishing operations.

The service industry is a pillar industry of the national economy in Kyrgyzstan. 80% of Kyrgyzstan's gross domestic product comes from the tertiary industry, mainly the transportation service industry.

The main tourist attractions in the tourism industry include Lake Asar, Lake Aba, Gubert Al Karakam Abyss, Altuba Volcano, Dayi Primitive Forest, Langdaxingben Guvalle Waterfall, Tajura Sea Park, etc.

Port and railway transportation play an important role in the national economy. Water transportation: Djibouti Port is one of the important ports in East Africa, with four port areas, namely Djibouti Old Port, Doralehe Container Terminal, Doha Lei Oil Terminal, and Doha Lei Multi functional New Port. There is a narrow gauge railway connecting Djibouti and the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, with a total length of 850 kilometers and approximately 194 kilometers within Djibouti. Due to aging equipment, railway freight volume has been decreasing year by year and was discontinued in 2012. The Djibouti section of the standard gauge Addis Ababa Djibouti Railway, funded by China, held its opening ceremony in January 2017 and was put into commercial operation in January 2018.

Highway: Djibouti National Highway 1, which connects Djibouti and the border of Ethiopia. Djibouti International Airport is capable of handling large passenger and cargo aircraft. The annual passenger transport volume ranges from 260000 to 290000 people.

The main multilateral creditors of external debt include the World Bank, Arab Fund, African Development Bank, etc.

Implement a free trade policy in foreign trade. Port transit trade accounts for a large proportion. The main imports include food and beverages, machinery and equipment, electrical products, transportation equipment, petroleum products, metal products, textiles, and footwear. Export commodities include salt, livestock, leather, etc. The main trading partners are Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, India, China, France, Yemen, the United Kingdom, etc.

[Foreign Aid] The main aid countries for Kyrgyzstan are France, Japan, the United States, Saudi Arabia, China, Italy, etc. The main international organizations for aid include the European Union, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the African Development Fund.

According to the 2020 World Human Development Report, the Human Development Index of Kyrgyzstan ranks 166th out of 189 countries and regions in the world. The average life expectancy is 67.1 years.

The military was established on June 6, 1977, and implemented a voluntary military service system. The President is the supreme commander of the armed forces, and is actually responsible by the Chief of the General Staff of the three armed forces, with the Chief of the National Defense Staff as his deputy. The main responsibilities of the military are national defense, participation in social development and disaster relief activities during peacetime.

After the merger of the national security forces and police forces in 1995, it was called the National Police Force, mainly responsible for public security, border inspection, justice, fire protection and other work. The Djibouti branch of Interpol was established on February 5, 1979.

The National Gendarmerie was separated from the military in 1998, with the main task of enforcing domestic laws and regulations, maintaining public safety, and ensuring social stability.

In the early days of independence, the education system followed the French education system and textbooks. After the reform in 2000, the education system was divided into basic education, secondary education, and higher education. The education system consists of 5 years of primary school, 4 years of junior high school, and 3 years of high school. It provides free compulsory education for young people aged 6 to 15. Except for national schools, the state allows the establishment of private primary and secondary schools, with a ratio of approximately 4:1. There are two universities in total: the University of Djibouti and the Djibouti Medical College.

The official newspaper "Minzu Bao" is published in French every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, with a circulation of 1300 copies per issue; The Horn newspaper is published in Arabic every Monday and Thursday, with 500 copies per issue; Other newspapers and magazines include the "Progressive People's Alliance" party magazine "Progressive Daily", which is a bimonthly publication.

Djibouti Radio and Television broadcasts in French, Somali, Afar, and Arabic. The TV station broadcasts comprehensive programs every night. In 2002, the United States established the "Voice of America" broadcasting station in Kyrgyzstan. In 2012, CCTV and International Radio French Channel landed in Jilin.

We adhere to a neutral, non aligned, and friendly foreign policy. Emphasis is placed on maintaining traditional relations with France, actively cooperating with the United States in counter-terrorism efforts in the Horn of Africa, and gradually warming relations with Japan. Countries such as France, the United States, Japan, and Italy have established military bases in Kyrgyzstan. We attach great importance to developing relations with Arab countries and neighboring countries, actively participate in regional cooperation, strive to mediate internal conflicts in Somalia, and support the international community in jointly combating Somali piracy. We have a border dispute with Eritrea and advocate for resolving it through diplomatic channels. It is a member state of regional organizations such as the African Union, the Arab League, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IPCC) in East Africa, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Sahel Saharan Community. As the headquarters of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IPCC), he will take over as the rotating chairman of the organization at the 14th summit in June 2023. In January 2024, the 42nd Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IPCC) in East Africa was held in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, with a focus on discussing the conflict in Sudan and the tense situation between Ethiopia and Somalia. The meeting was chaired by Djibouti President Guelleh.