The Role of Small States in Power Contestations in the Horn of Africa Case Study of Djibouti

Abstract

Djibouti, situated in the Horn of Africa, is one of the smallest countries on the African continent. Arid, with scant natural resources and a high level of poverty, the country has assumed a position of strategic importance in the great power contestations of the twenty-first century owing to its geographical location. Djibouti is located close to the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb which connects the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and is also one of the seven choke points that are crucial to international maritime security and countering cross-border terrorism. Its geographic proximity to the oil-rich Arabian Peninsula and the important shipping lane of the Gulf of Aden makes this small state a role player in great and middle-power rivalries. Host to military bases of China, the USA, Japan, France, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom, Djibouti is also in talks with Saudi Arabia. This paper will examine the behaviour of a small state like Djibouti against the backdrop of power contestations in the geopolitically sensitive Horn of Africa. Contrary to the popular belief that small states are often compelled to bandwagon with the big states, the paper will attempt to make the case that states, albeit small, have agency and tools at their disposal to navigate their course through complex geopolitical quagmires. IR theories of status-seeking and shelter will be applied to study the case of Djibouti in the context of power contestations.