On Sunday, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis visited Djibouti, which hosts Washington’s only permanent military base in Africa. The nation, a gateway to the Suez Canal, is highly sought after with many countries vying to set up military bases there
Camp Lemonnier
America’s Camp Lemonnier, set up after the 9/11 attack, is vital to US operations in Somalia, says the AFP. It was established to back up the fight against the al-Qaeda and Taliban. Though it was described as a temporary measure, the camp was formalised in 2014, after the US signed an agreement for 20 years
Not just USA
America is not the only country to have a military base in this former French colony. France has an active military presence in Djibouti with about 1,450 troops. And the newest member—China. Beijing is establishing its first overseas military base, just a few miles from the US camp
New neighbour
This move has raised concerns in the US. Saudi Arabia also wants to establish a base there. Why are countries setting up military bases in an arid African nation?
Location matters, size doesn’t
Because of the country’s location. Djibouti, a tiny country the size of Meghalaya, is located on the Horn of Africa, close to the Mandeb Strait and the Suez Canal through which ten per cent of the world’s oil exports pass annually