Tempo
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Today is the National Day of Djibouti. A country in the Horn of Africa,
Djibouti is bounded by Eritrea on the north, Ethiopia on the west and
south, and Somalia on the southeast. The remainder of the border is
formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The capital of Djibouti is
the city of Djibouti. Located at this intersection of trade routes
connecting the Indian Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea, and Africa with
the Middle East, Djibouti has a long been an agricultural and commercial
crossroads.
The early Djiboutians traded hides and skins for the perfumes and
spices of ancient Egypt, India, and China, thousands of years ago.
French interest developed in the nineteenth century when the area was
ruled by the sultan of Raheita, Tadjoura, and Gobaad. The Republic of
Djibouti gained its independence from France on June 27, 1977. However,
despite being an independent nation, Djibouti maintains deep relations
with France and is a regular recipient of French economic and security
assistance.As a Somali, Afar, and Islamic country, Djibouti
regularly takes part in Islamic affairs as well as Arab meetings. The
country is a member of the Africa Union, the Arab League, and
Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).The economy of
Djibouti is largely based on service activities, is an international
transshipment and refueling center. This is because of the country’s
strategic location which is accessible to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.
Almost two-thirds of the population live in the capital city and the
remainder are mostly nomandic herders.
We congratulate the people
and government of Djibouti headed by Their Excellencies, President
Ismail Oman Guelleh and Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed,
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mahamoud Ali
Youssouf, Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs Mohamed Barkat
Abdillahi, Minister of Communication and Culture Ali Abdi Farah, on the
occasion of its National Day.