Djibouti's incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh casts his vote at the City Hall polling station during the presidential election in Mouloud, Djibouti, on Friday, April 10, 2026. GUIRREH MOUMIN / AP
Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh on Saturday, April 11, claimed victory in an election that secured a sixth straight term in the strategically placed Horn of Africa nation.
"Re-elected", the 78-year-old declared in a social media post as early results gave him a huge lead over his little-known opponent in Friday's election.
Guelleh has ruled the tiny nation of one million people for 27 years with an iron grip. He has made his name leveraging Djibouti's key location to turn it into an international military and maritime hub. Its 23,000 square kilometers hosts military bases and contingents from France, the United States, China, Japan and Italy, generating substantial financial, security and political benefits.
Little opposition
