No. 8 Competition of Foreign Military Bases and the Survival Strategies of Djibouti

Djibouti is a small country that sits on the west coast of the Bab El Mandeb Strait, in East Africa. Due to its geostrategic value, five countries, including the United States and China, have military bases in the country. This paper examines whether attracting military bases is a rational choice for the current administration and the general public of Djibouti. First the paper reviews the intentions of the client countries to develop naval bases. It then discusses Djibouti's diplomatic strategy, before finally analyzing the factors that are seen an advantageous/disadvantageous to the survival of the nation. Through the analyses, the paper argues that attracting military bases accelerates the economic development of the nation, but distribution mechanisms need to be considered separately. While the power of the current administration in Djibouti has been strengthened by the presence of military bases, the benefits felt by the people, especially the poor, have been small.

Around the Red Sea, the competition over military port development is booming, and coastal nations are eager to grant naval access to the best offer. In that sense, Djibouti is a precedent case having already attracted military bases and pulled in funds and investments to develop the country. Thus, the analysis within this paper can be used as an important reference point for neighboring countries.

Keywords: naval competition, Red Sea, foreign military bases, survival strategies, small state diplomacy, neo-patrimonial states, Djibouti