Why is Project 2025 concerned with Djibouti?

[Deeq A.]

Project 2025, the alleged blueprint for President Trump, focuses only one African country: Djibouti. Smaller than West Virginia, Djibouti has a population of one million people and few natural resources. Nevertheless, Project 2025’s authors fret about “the U.S.’s deteriorating position in Djibouti.” Likewise, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stressed the need to work on “countering Chinese influence in Djibouti.”

Djibouti is critical because of its location. Situated near the Gulf of Aden, around one third of ship traffic passes by on its way to the Suez Canal. To protect these ships, Djibouti hosts military bases from China, France, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the United States. Until recently, Djibouti-American relations were good. But when Djibouti refused to let the United States attack the Houthis from their territory, the foreign policy establishment lost its temper and blamed Chinese influence.

Djibouti’s refusal is not a pivot to China, but part of its balanced foreign policy: neutrality with states and aggression with non-state actors. By maintaining neutrality, Djibouti can host military bases from multiple countries, some of which are each other’s foes. As long as these bases are used against non-state pariahs like pirates and terrorists like al-Qaida, there is no issue. But any force against states or quasi-state actors like the Houthis is strictly prohibited.

Rather than create unnecessary tensions with China, the United States should focus on its shared interest of protecting maritime traffic. Doing so will enhance security and diffuse tensions between these great powers.

Why Djibouti matters
As the Somali civil war dragged on, chaos reigned and poverty increased. To secure their livelihood, many Somalis resorted to piracy starting in 2000. The capture of American ships and the September 11 attacks led the United States to step up military operations in the Horn of Africa.

In 2002 the United States purchased Camp Lemonnier from Djibouti’s former colonizer France, establishing America’s first and only permanent military base in Africa. They were soon joined by others: Germany established a military presence at the French base in 2008, Japan established its only foreign military base in 2009 and Italy opened its first foreign military base in 2013. There were no issues with any of these military bases, until China opened its first foreign military base in 2017.

Project 2025, the alleged blueprint for President Trump, focuses only one African country: Djibouti. Smaller than West Virginia, Djibouti has a population of one million people and few natural resources. Nevertheless, Project 2025’s authors fret about “the U.S.’s deteriorating position in Djibouti.” Likewise, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stressed the need to work on “countering Chinese influence in Djibouti.”

Djibouti is critical because of its location. Situated near the Gulf of Aden, around one third of ship traffic passes by on its way to the Suez Canal. To protect these ships, Djibouti hosts military bases from China, France, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the United States. Until recently, Djibouti-American relations were good. But when Djibouti refused to let the United States attack the Houthis from their territory, the foreign policy establishment lost its temper and blamed Chinese influence.

Djibouti’s refusal is not a pivot to China, but part of its balanced foreign policy: neutrality with states and aggression with non-state actors. By maintaining neutrality, Djibouti can host military bases from multiple countries, some of which are each other’s foes. As long as these bases are used against non-state pariahs like pirates and terrorists like al-Qaida, there is no issue. But any force against states or quasi-state actors like the Houthis is strictly prohibited.

Rather than create unnecessary tensions with China, the United States should focus on its shared interest of protecting maritime traffic. Doing so will enhance security and diffuse tensions between these great powers.

Why Djibouti matters
As the Somali civil war dragged on, chaos reigned and poverty increased. To secure their livelihood, many Somalis resorted to piracy starting in 2000. The capture of American ships and the September 11 attacks led the United States to step up military operations in the Horn of Africa.

In 2002 the United States purchased Camp Lemonnier from Djibouti’s former colonizer France, establishing America’s first and only permanent military base in Africa. They were soon joined by others: Germany established a military presence at the French base in 2008, Japan established its only foreign military base in 2009 and Italy opened its first foreign military base in 2013. There were no issues with any of these military bases, until China opened its first foreign military base in 2017.

Aidan Simardone
Aidan Simardone is an immigration lawyer and writer with a master’s degree in global affairs from the University of Toronto. His work has appeared in Jacobin, the Cradle and the New Arab.
The views expressed by authors on Responsible Statecraft do not necessarily reflect those of the Quincy Institute or its associates.

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