DJIBOUTI'S GEOSTRATEGIC VALUE: SEA TRADE, MILITARY PRESENCE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Abstract

Despite being located on a narrow strip of land in the Horn of Africa, Djibouti is at the center of world politics and maritime trade thanks to its strategic location connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. This study examines Djibouti's geostrategic value within the triangle of maritime trade, military presence, and international relations, revealing how the country has become a "strategic crossroads" at the regional and global levels. Despite its small area and limited natural resources, Djibouti has become a center of attraction both economically and security-wise, thanks to its multi-actor foreign policy approach. The presence of military bases of global powers such as China, the US, France, and Japan, in particular, profoundly impacts the country's security policies as well as its perception of sovereignty. The study evaluates Djibouti's economic growth dynamics through port infrastructure, maritime trade data, and international investment trends, while emphasizing that this growth is largely intertwined with external dependence. However, the study considers Djibouti's current strategic location not only as a sphere of interest for external actors but also as an opportunity zone where the country can strengthen its role as a "geostrategic mediator" by balancing its own interests. The study argues that to increase Djibouti's economic sustainability, its maritime trade-based structure should be diversified, local development policies strengthened, and regional cooperation increased. The findings demonstrate that Djibouti is shaping up not only as a "country of military bases" in the global power competition but also as a strategic logistics hub in Africa's maritime trade network. Djibouti's geostrategic importance depends on the advantages offered by its geography being supported by effective diplomacy, a balanced foreign policy, and sustainable economic policies.