Djibouti And The West Double Standard African Diplomacy

By Eromose Ileso    April 14, 2016

To many, Djibouti might sound like a name of from one Disney’s cartoon characters, yet it is a country in the horn of Africa which borders Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia, and is just over the sea from Yemen in the Middle East. It is a tiny country with a population of just over 923,000 with an area of 23,200 sq. km. It gained independence from France in 1971.

Despite its size, it is one of the most important countries in Africa especially in the eyes of Western Powers. Besides being a gateway to the Suez Canal, which happens to be the busiest shipping route in the world, it is home to America’s largest military base in Africa. While France that is a former colonial power also has a military base there. It proximity to the Middle East means it is strategically located for the Western powers to launch any military incursions to troubled spots in the Middle East. Apart from the United States and France, China is also planning to establish a military base in Djibouti in the coming years.

Djibouti had its presidential election on April 8th, where long serving President Ismail Omar Guelleh secured a fourth term in office for another five years. The 68 year old has been in office since 1999, and as such he has been in power for 16 years. Apart from this, he rules the tiny country with an iron fist with the media and security tightly controlled by the state where freedom of speech is curtailed.

Despite the fact that Djibouti’s president has ran a repressive regime for years and also spent a decade and six years in power, the West has seldom criticised the activities of President Guelleh. They have repeatedly overlooked the transgressions and the repression of basic freedoms in Djibouti, because of the gains they derive from having the presence of military bases there.

However, the same tenure extension and planned tenure extensions that was perpetuated in other African countries has continually been criticised by the West. The recent referendum in Rwanda which granted Paul Kegame the powers to extend his time in office beyond it present term was not taken likely by the West, as it was met with strong words and criticism, with the added threat of withdrawal of aid.

There is the turbulence in neigbouring Burundi whose president forcibly amended the constitution through parliament to extend his ten year stay in office. A decision that has brought civil strife to Burundi.  This decision was also criticised by the West.  

Meanwhile, while some tenure extension is not welcomed in the West, others are met with a blind eye. It is this double standard approach to Africa’s issues that has continue to raise questions as to the underlining intentions of the West towards Africa. When there is something to be gained in a country, any repressive decisions made by such country’s leader is completely overlooked.

During the early part of the 20th century, the assassination of several African independence leaders was orchestrated by Western powers. From Slyvanus Olympio of Togo, to Patrice Lubumba of Congo Kinshasa, they stood up to the uncouth influence of the West, and they paid the ultimate price. While leaders that dance to their tune were installed in President G. Eyedema of Togo and Moboto Sese Seko of Congo Kinshasa who both ruled their countries for over and near three decades. And despite the fact that they left their countries in ruins while amassing so much wealth, they enjoyed the support of the West until their demise.

The later part of the 20th century was also beset by influence of double standards, with the assassination of Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso clearly influenced by Western elements after his socialist tendencies, and the subsequent installation of Blaise Campoare, who enjoyed the backing of France, yet he was ousted from power two years ago after a popular protest.

While, this writer is not in support of tenure extension, it is the double standard and double speaking from the West that has really cast a shadow over the ability to really sieve the actual desire of the West in respect of the internal affairs of certain African countries.

Some of these double standards have left some Africa countries in ruins especially Libya, a country that was a bastion of stability under M. Gadhafi has become a hotbed for Islamic militants. The effects of that decision has contributed to the uncontrolled influx of immigrants from the coast of Libya through the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, and the domino effect of Libya’s instability is the proliferation of arms in the Sahel belt and West Africa sub region. It was this turn of events that brought about the Tuareg rebels invasion of Northern Mali after they returned with sophisticated weapons from the Libyan conflict before they were pushed back.

When Barack Obama addressed Africa Union heads of states in its meeting in Addis Ababa in 2015, one of the points raised by the American president was his criticism of the tendency of African leaders to extend their tenure in office despite constitutional provisions that limits their tenure to a number of years. Yet there was no word from the West on what happened in Djibouti

While, different rules would continue to apply in the way the West treats African countries as evident by the responses to what happened in Djibouti and other countries. It is ultimately left to African leaders to chart a course for their countries which should start with good leadership without trying to repress basic freedoms of their citizens.