Djibouti will hold its presidential election on April 10, with only two candidates on the ballot. President Ismail Omar Guelleh, who has ruled since 1999, is seeking a sixth term after lawmakers removed the age limit last November.
His sole rival is Mohamed Farah Samatar, head of the Unified Democratic Center (CDU), a small party with no seats in parliament. Samatar was once part of the ruling party but has little political influence compared to Guelleh, who won re-election in 2021 with more than 97% of the vote.
Djibouti, home to about one million people, sits in a strategic location near the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, hosting military bases for the US, China, France, and others. While the election is scheduled, the political landscape remains heavily tilted in favor of Guelleh, reflecting the dominance of his long-standing rule.
