Voters in the East African nation of Djibouti are heading to the polls on Friday to elect their next president. Incumbent leader Ismail Omar Guelleh, 78, is expected to secure a sixth term after politicians scrapped presidential age limits last year. His only opponent is Mohamed Farah Samatar, leader of the Unified Democratic Centre (CDU), a party with no parliamentary representation.

The electoral process has begun with low turnout. According to AFP reports, some polling stations in the capital, Djibouti City, opened late, and only a handful of voters had turned up at city hall in the early hours. Polling stations will close at 6:00 PM local time, with provisional results expected by Saturday morning.

Human rights groups have accused authorities of abuses and suppressing political freedom, allegations the government denies. Two main opposition parties have boycotted elections since 2016. Several international organizations, including the African Union, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the League of Arab States, are observing the vote.

Guelleh has governed Djibouti since 1999 and won re-election in 2021 with 98% of the vote. Mohamed Husein Gaas of the Raad Peace Research Institute told the Associated Press that scrapping term limits is "less about electoral competition and more about preserving regime continuity in a highly strategic state," raising concerns about democratic backsliding.

Djibouti's strategic importance is underscored by its hosting of key military bases for the United States regime, France, China, and other powers, making it a critical hub for Red Sea security and global trade routes. It also serves as a vital port for landlocked neighbors like Ethiopia. Since 2023, several commercial ships damaged in Houthi attacks in Yemen have docked there for repairs.

Source: www.aljazeera.com