GOVERNMENT
Djibouti is a republic whose electorate approved the current constitution in September 1992. Many laws and decrees from before independence remain in effect.
In the presidential election held April 8, 2005 Ismail Omar Guelleh was
re-elected to a second 6-year term at the head of a multi-party coalition that
included the FRUD and other major parties. A loose coalition of opposition
parties again boycotted the election. Currently, political power is shared by a
Somali president and an Afar prime minister, with an Afar career diplomat as
Foreign Minister and other cabinet posts roughly divided. However, Issas are
predominate in the government, civil service, and the ruling party. That,
together with a shortage of non-government employment, has bred resentment and
continued political competition between the Somali Issas and the Afars. In March
2006, Djibouti held its first regional elections and began implementing a
decentralization plan. The broad pro-government coalition, including FRUD
candidates, again ran unopposed when the government refused to meet opposition
preconditions for participation. Parliamentary elections were held in February
2008.
Djibouti has its own armed forces, including a small army, which grew
significantly with the start of the civil war in 1991. With the 2001 final peace
accord between the government and the Afar-dominated FRUD, the armed forces have
been downsized. The country's security is supplemented by a formal security
accord with the Government of France, which guarantees Djibouti's territorial
integrity against foreign incursions. France maintains one of its largest
military bases outside France in Djibouti. There are some 3,000 French troops
stationed in Djibouti, including units of the famed French Foreign Legion.
The right to own property is respected in Djibouti. The government has reorganized the labor unions. While there have been open elections of union leaders in the past, some labor leaders allege interference in their internal elections. Others voice opposition to newly-implemented labor laws that apply to new jobs created in free zones and that are less favorable to labor.
In 2002, following a broad national debate, Djibouti enacted a new "Family Law" enhancing the protection of women and children, unifying legal treatment of all women, and replacing Sharia. The government established a minister-designate for women's affairs and is engaged in an ongoing effort to increase public recognition of women's rights and to ensure enforcement. In 2007, it began establishing a network of new counseling offices to assist women seeking to understand and protect their rights. Women in Djibouti enjoy a higher public status than in many other Islamic countries. The government is leading efforts to stop illegal and abusive traditional practices, including female genital mutilation. As the result of a three-year effort, the percentage of girls attending primary school increased significantly and is now more than 50%. However, women's rights and family planning continue to face difficult challenges, many stemming from acute poverty in both rural and urban areas. With female ministers and members of parliament, the presence of women in government has increased. Despite the gains, education of girls still lags behind boys, and employment opportunities are better for male applicants.
Principal
Government Officials
President--Ismail Omar Guelleh
Prime Minister--Dileita Mohamed Dileita
Foreign Affairs--Mahamoud Ali Youssouf
Ambassador to the United Nations and the United States--Roble
Olhaye Oudine
Djibouti's
mission to the UN is located at 866 UN Plaza, Suite 4011, New
York, NY 10017 (tel. 212-753-3163). Djibouti's embassy in Washington
is located at Suite 515, 1156 15th Street, NW, Washington, DC
20005 (tel. 202- 331-0270; fax 202-331-0302).
Type:
Republic.
Constitution: Ratified September 1992 by referendum.
Independence: June 27, 1977.
Branches: Executive--president. Legislative--65-member
parliament, cabinet, prime minister. Judicial--based on French
civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law.
Administrative subdivisions: 6 cercles (districts)--Ali-Sabieh,
Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, and Tadjoura.
Political parties: People's Rally for Progress
(RPP) established in 1981; New Democratic Party (PRD) and the
National Democratic Party (PND) were both established in 1992;
and the Front For The Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD)
was legally recognized in 1994. Five additional parties were established
in 2002: Djibouti Development Party (PDD); Peoples Social Democratic
Party (PPSD); Republican Alliance for Democracy (ARD); Union for
Democracy and Justice (UDJ); Movement for Democratic Renewal (MRD).
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
National holiday: Independence Day, June 27 (1977).
