Guelleh Warns Against Foreign Interference as Horn of Africa Tensions Mount
ALI SABIEH, Djibouti — President Ismail Omar Guelleh said Sunday that Djibouti would defend its sovereignty and retain the right to make independent decisions, warning that foreign actors would not be permitted to interfere in the country’s domestic affairs.
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Guelleh spoke in Ali Sabieh at the close of a three-day political conference attended by members of the ruling People’s Rally for Progress (RPP) party.
“Djibouti’s internal affairs belong to the people and government of Djibouti. We will not allow anyone to interfere or encroach on our internal affairs,” Guelleh said.
He said the government was working to protect Djibouti’s independence, reinforce internal security and maintain social cohesion amid mounting political and security pressures across the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.
The president also promised continued investment in education, skills development and capacity building for Djiboutian citizens. He said those efforts were intended to create a self-reliant nation able to confront future challenges on its own.
Guelleh did not identify a particular country or organization in his remarks and did not point to any specific diplomatic or political dispute involving his government.
His statement came as the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea have drawn increasing attention from foreign powers seeking to advance security, political and economic interests in the region.
Djibouti sits near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategically vital maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and forming part of one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
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