<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE article PUBLIC "-//NLM//DTD JATS (Z39.96) Journal Publishing DTD v1.2d1 20170631//EN" "JATS-journalpublishing1.dtd"> <ArticleSet> <Article> <Journal> <PublisherName>ejsss</PublisherName> <JournalTitle>ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES</JournalTitle> <PISSN/> <EISSN/> <Volume-Issue>Volume 5 Issue 2</Volume-Issue> <PartNumber/> <IssueTopic>Multidisciplinary</IssueTopic> <IssueLanguage>English</IssueLanguage> <Season>August-September 2024</Season> <SpecialIssue>N</SpecialIssue> <SupplementaryIssue>N</SupplementaryIssue> <IssueOA>Y</IssueOA> <PubDate> <Year>2024</Year> <Month>09</Month> <Day>30</Day> </PubDate> <ArticleType>Strategic Studies</ArticleType> <ArticleTitle>Djibouti: A strategic choke point in the Bab el-Mandeb region</ArticleTitle> <SubTitle/> <ArticleLanguage>English</ArticleLanguage> <ArticleOA>Y</ArticleOA> <FirstPage>283</FirstPage> <LastPage>294</LastPage> <AuthorList> <Author> <FirstName>Adhithyan K</FirstName> <LastName>P</LastName> <AuthorLanguage>English</AuthorLanguage> <Affiliation/> <CorrespondingAuthor>N</CorrespondingAuthor> <ORCID/> </Author> </AuthorList> <DOI>10.47362/EJSSS.2024.5211</DOI> <Abstract>Djibouti__ampersandsign#39;s strategic position at the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial maritime chokepoint, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, underscores its geopolitical significance. This narrow strait is essential for global trade, with a significant share of the world__ampersandsign#39;s oil and commercial shipments passing through. Djibouti’s location at this juncture enhances its role as a pivotal hub for international maritime traffic and naval operations. The geopolitical landscape in Djibouti is currently influenced by its relationships with global powers. The country hosts military bases for the United States, China, France, and Japan, each seeking to secure their interests in this vital region. The establishment of China’s first overseas military base in Djibouti signifies a notable shift in the balance of power, emphasising Djibouti__ampersandsign#39;s strategic importance on the global stage. These bases are crucial for safeguarding maritime routes, countering piracy, and managing regional conflicts. At the same time, they also prove to be a potential source of power struggle between great powers. In the contemporary period, it is important to reevaluate the importance of this region in resonance with China’s rising influence through trade relations and investments. The intersection of military, economic, and geopolitical interests in Djibouti along with its regional dynamics certifies its enduring strategic importance. The resurgence of piracy, involvement of the Houthi rebels and the ongoing Israel Hamas conflict also reassure the shift of power relations in the Arab region from the lenses of global security.</Abstract> <AbstractLanguage>English</AbstractLanguage> <Keywords>Military base, Bab el-Mandeb, Arab state, Global trade, China, Balance of power.</Keywords> <URLs> <Abstract>https://www.ejsss.net.in/ubijournal-v1copy/journals/abstract.php?article_id=15388&title=Djibouti: A strategic choke point in the Bab el-Mandeb region</Abstract> </URLs> <References> <ReferencesarticleTitle>References</ReferencesarticleTitle> <ReferencesfirstPage>16</ReferencesfirstPage> <ReferenceslastPage>19</ReferenceslastPage> <References>Al Jazeera. (2018). Djibouti seizes control of Dubai-run Doraleh port. Retrieved 9 July 2024, from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/2/24/djibouti-seizes-control-of-dubai-run-doraleh-port Bereketeab, R. (2016). Djibouti: Strategic location, an asset or a curse. Journal of African Foreign Affairs. 3(1/2). 5-18. Browne, R. (2018). Chinese lasers injure US military pilots in Africa, Pentagon says. CNN. Retrieved 15 July 2024, from https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/03/politics/chinese-lasers-us-military-pilots-africa/index.html Embassy of India, Djibouti. India-Djibouti Bilateral Relations. Retrieved 9 July 2024, from https://www.eoidjibouti.gov.in/note-on-bilateral-relations.php International Monetary Fund. (2012). Djibouti: Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper—Annual Progress Report. Retrieved 12 July 2024, from https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/scr/2012/cr12131.pdf. 1-10. John H. L. (n.d.). The First Suez Canal. The Engines of our Ingenuity, University of Houston. Retreived 18 July 2024, from https://engines.egr.uh.edu/episode/1257#:~:text=In%201869%2C%20the%20Suez,had%20surveyors%20looking%20at%20routes. Sankalp, G. (2022). The Superpowers’ Playground: Djibouti and Geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific in the 21st Century. Routledge Publications. Sankalp, G. (2023). How the crisis in Sudan accentuated the strategic importance of Djibouti. Observer Research Foundation. Retrieved 5 July 2024, from https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/how-the-crisis-in-sudan-accentuated-the-strategic-importance-of-djibouti Sansom, M, and; Sultan, B. (2017). Why did Qatar leave the Djibouti-Eritrea border?, Al Jazeera. Retrieved 15 July 2024, from https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2017/6/18/why-did-qatar-leave-the-djibouti-eritrea-border Styan, David. (2013). Djibouti: Changing influence in the Horn’s strategic hub. Chatham House. Retrieved 20 July 2024, from https://sldinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/0413bp_djibouti.pdf Tom, M. (2024). This small strait is essential to global shipping. Now it’s the center of headlines. National Geographic. Retrieved 20 July 2024, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/bab-al-mandan-red-sea-suez-shipping-crisis-houthis-gaza Zach, V. (2020). Great Power Rivalry in the Red Sea: China’s Experiment in Djibouti and Implications for the United States. Regional Influence and Strategy, Global China. Pp. 1-31. Brookings Doha Center.</References> </References> </Journal> </Article> </ArticleSet>