France’s Military Base in Djibouti Crucial for Indo-Pacific Strategy
President Emmanuel Macron of France emphasized the importance of his country’s military base in Djibouti, a small country in the Horn of Africa, as France faces a significant loss of strategic footholds in Africa.
France’s Military Presence in Djibouti
Macron paid a brief visit to Djibouti to discuss the country’s military base with its President Ismail Omar Guelleh and to see French troops ahead of the end-of-year holidays. The visit comes as a number of African countries have recently ended military accords with France and ordered out its troops.
Indo-Pacific Strategy
Macron stressed that the French presence in Djibouti is key for the security of the Indo-Pacific trade routes between Europe and Asia. He added that France’s Indo-Pacific strategy "could not work without the French forces in Djibouti." The base in Djibouti, which overlooks the Indian Ocean, is strategically located to monitor and protect the region, which includes India and China, as well as sea routes that account for a huge proportion of world trade.
Reinventing the Base
Macron told French troops that the base could take on a greater importance as it could be "reinvented" to become a launch point for missions in Africa. However, he insisted that Djibouti was not part of his plans to reorganize France’s military presence in Africa, as the nature of the base and its operations is profoundly different.
France’s Military Presence in Africa
France has faced a significant setback in its military presence in Africa. French troops left Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in 2022 and 2023 after the military juntas that took power in those countries broke defence accords with the former colonial power. France has also started withdrawing jets and troops from Chad in recent weeks after the country’s military leader cut military ties, and Senegal made a similar request in November.
Djibouti’s Relations with France
The Djibouti president highlighted his small country’s "privileged relations" with France, and the two leaders discussed regional problems, including the war in Sudan. Accords for the building of a new airport and the development of a space agency were signed on Saturday.
Conclusion
France’s military base in Djibouti is a crucial component of its Indo-Pacific strategy, and Macron’s visit underscores the importance of maintaining this strategic foothold. As France reorganizes its military presence in Africa, the base in Djibouti will likely play a key role in supporting missions in the region.
FAQs
- What is France’s Indo-Pacific strategy?
France’s Indo-Pacific strategy aims to secure the Indo-Pacific trade routes between Europe and Asia, which are crucial for global trade. - Why is the French base in Djibouti important for France’s Indo-Pacific strategy?
The base in Djibouti, which overlooks the Indian Ocean, is strategically located to monitor and protect the region, which includes India and China, as well as sea routes that account for a huge proportion of world trade. - What is the current state of France’s military presence in Africa?
France has faced a significant setback in its military presence in Africa, with a number of African countries ending military accords with France and ordering out its troops.