President Ismail Omar Guelleh in Djibouti on December 21, 2024. LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP
Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh, in power since 1999, confirmed Saturday, November 8, that he would run for a sixth term in elections next year, after Parliament removed a constitutional barrier that had prevented him from running again. The 77-year-old accepted the nomination from his People's Rally for Progress (RPP) party during a congress in the capital, a statement from the presidency said.
The Horn of Africa nation is a stable state in an often troubled region, operating a major port that hosts military bases for the United States, France, China, Japan and Italy. Guelleh promised to reaffirm his commitment to "unity, stability, and development amid global challenges" ahead of presidential elections set for April 2026.
His re-election is virtually guaranteed, with his Union for the Presidential Majority coalition holding a majority of seats in parliament, and after winning the last election in 2021 with 97 percent of the vote. He is the latest ageing African leader to seek to remain in power, after the recent re-elections of 92-year-old Paul Biya in Cameroon and 83-year-old Alassane Ouattara in Côte d'Ivoire.
