Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh has issued a firm warning against foreign involvement in the country’s domestic affairs, declaring that national sovereignty and independent decision-making will not be compromised.
Guelleh spoke Sunday in Ali Sabieh following the end of a three-day political conference attended by members of the ruling People’s Rally for Progress party.
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The president said Djibouti was prioritizing the protection of its independence, the reinforcement of internal security and the preservation of social cohesion as political and security pressures intensify across the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.
“Djibouti’s internal affairs belong to the people and government of Djibouti,” Guelleh said. “We will not allow anyone to interfere or encroach on our internal affairs.”
He said the government would maintain its investment in education, skills training and capacity building for Djiboutian citizens, with the goal of creating a self-reliant country able to address future challenges on its own.
Guelleh’s comments come as foreign powers deepen their security, political and economic competition across the strategically important Horn of Africa and Red Sea region.
The president did not identify any country or organization in his remarks, and he did not point to a particular diplomatic or political dispute involving his government.
Djibouti sits near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
