By Tomi Oladipo,
Djibouti, a small country on the Red Sea, is already home to military bases from the US and France, the former colonial power, but China’s interest is now becoming increasingly apparent.
What makes this horn of Africa nation attractive to global military powers?
Port in a storm
Djibouti’s status as a model of stability in an otherwise volatile region is one of its greatest assets.
It lies on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a gateway to the Suez Canal, which is one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.
Djibouti also provides a vital port for landlocked neighbour Ethiopia, even more important now as a railway between both their capitals is completed.
Chinese-led infrastructure projects – including the construction of air and maritime ports – are present here, just as they are elsewhere in Africa.
But it is Djibouti’s proximity to restive regions in Africa and the Middle East that makes it significant for the location of bases for the military superpowers.
Somalia, to the south-west, has been a hotbed of unrest – of global implications – for years, with sea pirates and al-Shabab militants posing a serious threat to the region.
Yemen, currently in conflict, is less than 20 miles north-east across the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait – also an easy pathway into the Middle East without having to be based there.
These crises have warranted international responses and the need for military bases nearby.
Djibouti hosts the largest American permanent military base in Africa, Camp Lemonnier, which is home to more than 4,000 personnel – mostly part of the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa.
US Secretary of State John Kerry’s recent trip to Africa included a stopover there, highlighting this tiny nation’s significance even among the continent’s more prominent powers.
Even though France and Japan also launch operations from the Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport, it is China’s military ambitions that are piquing interests.
Read more:Why are there so many military bases in Djibouti?
Source: BBC News
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