President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh of Djibouti has been re-elected for a sixth term after securing 97.81 per cent of the vote in Friday’s presidential election, according to official results.
Guelleh, 78, has ruled the Horn of Africa nation of about one million people for over two decades. His latest victory follows a constitutional amendment last year that removed the presidential age limit, allowing him to contest again.
Election authorities said the poll was conducted peacefully, with celebrations reported at the presidential palace as supporters gathered to congratulate the long-serving leader.
Guelleh faced only one challenger, Mohamed Farah Samatar, a former member of the ruling party, in a contest widely viewed by analysts as lacking strong opposition. Opposition groups have often boycotted elections in Djibouti, citing restrictions on political freedoms.
The president first came to power in 1999, succeeding his uncle, Hassan Gouled Aptidon, and has since maintained a firm grip on the country’s political landscape.
Djibouti’s strategic location along the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key global shipping route linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, has made it a hub for international military presence. The country hosts bases from several nations, including the United States, China, France, and Japan.
Revenue from these military partnerships, along with port services provided to landlocked Ethiopia, remains a major pillar of Djibouti’s economy.
