U.S. Embassy in Djibouti

The American Embassy advocates U.S. government policies and interests in Djibouti. We represent the United States and its people to the government and people of Djibouti. We seek to understand and influence and report on issues in Djibouti as well as those affecting the Inter-Government Authority for Development and adjacent region of Northwest Somalia. We provide consular services to Americans and visa services to non-citizens residing in Djibouti and northwest Somalia. DJIBOUTI IN THE CONTEXT OF THE HORN OF AFRICA The Republic of Djibouti plays a unique role in the Horn of Africa. It is a fulcrum for regional access and transportation. Djibouti has a vital strategic location, and strong cultural, economic and political ties to Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Yemen, and the Persian Gulf. It is a meeting place for all with many friends and family members of all its neighbors. Despite its small size, it has a strong influence on those neighbors, and their actions have a direct and immediate impact on Djibouti’s fortunes. THE ROLE OF DJIBOUTI It has a vital port and railroad link to landlocked Ethiopia, and is the seat of the Secretariat of the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD). Djibouti’s territorial integrity and stability are essential to the transportation and communications network in the Horn of Africa. In recent years, it has attracted many millions of dollars of new investment. It is both a regional hub, an engine of economic growth, and an example for its neighbors. THE ROLE OF THE INTER-GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY FOR DEVELOPMENT President Ismael Omar Guelleh worked closely with former President Gouled who was instrumental in the 1986 founding of the regional grouping, IGAD. IGAD includes Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda. The organization works to strengthen cooperation among its members in the area of food security and economic cooperation and integration. In November 1996, IGAD expanded its mandate to include conflict resolution. The organization is active today seeking to resolve conflicts in Somalia and Sudan. Strong U.S. Government support for regional cooperation as a function of “helping Africa help itself” is a tenet of a U.S. Government policy. The U.S. supports IGAD and African Union and U.N.