Djibouti, a small nation located in the Horn of Africa, is holding parliamentary elections on Friday that have been boycotted by the main opposition parties. The ruling Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP) is assured of victory, as only two parties are contesting seats in the 65-member National Assembly.
Djibouti has a strategically crucial position at the mouth of the Red Sea and has used this to attract foreign trade investors and military powers. The opposition has accused the poll of not being free and fair, and have labelled it a “charade”. President Ismail Omar Guelleh, who has ruled Djibouti with an iron fist since 1999, was re-elected for a fifth term in April 2021 with 97 percent of the vote.
The economy of Djibouti, which has a population of one million people, has been negatively impacted by the war in Ukraine, a regional drought and the two-year conflict in neighbouring Ethiopia. Despite this, it is expected to grow by around five percent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The main opposition parties, such as the Movement for Democratic Renewal and Development (MRD) and the Republican Alliance for Democracy (ARD), have refused to take part in the election. They claim that Djibouti’s citizens are being deprived of their right to choose their leaders due to the country’s “single party” system.
Voters will choose MPs for a five-year term, with 25 percent of the 65 seats reserved for women. In the last legislative ballot in 2018, the UMP won 58 seats and the Union for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) took five of the remaining seven.
Djibouti has taken advantage of its prime geographical location by investing heavily in ports and logistics infrastructure. It has attracted foreign military powers such as France, the United States, China, Italy and Japan to establish bases or support facilities there. The country also hopes to become the “Dubai of Africa” with the help of foreign investment, particularly from China. This includes a $1bn commercial spaceport that is expected to be completed in five years.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is sending an observer mission to monitor the election. However, public interest in the polls is reportedly very low due to a lack of faith in the electoral process. It remains to be seen whether Djibouti’s strategic position will be enough to secure its future prosperity.