Djibouti Pursues Green Energy Future with Chinese Investment

Djibouti, January 20, 2026 Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh met on Monday with a delegation of Chinese state-owned operators to discuss new partnerships in renewable energy and industrial manufacturing, according to the national news agency. The discussions centred on establishing new solar and wind power plants aimed at reducing the East African nation’s dependence on energy imports. The project is part of Djibouti's broader strategy to secure affordable power for its nascent industrial sector. The meeting was also attended by Djibouti’s Minister of Economy and Finance, Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, and the Secretary-General of the Presidency, Mohamed Abdillahi Waïs. Government officials said the cooperation is also expected to extend to the pharmaceutical, chemical, and agri-food industries. They noted that earlier agreements between Djibouti and Chinese firms have already laid the groundwork for scaling up salt production to more than 2 million tonnes annually. Djibouti, which hosts China’s first overseas military base, has become a key node in Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative, leveraging its strategic position on the Red Sea to attract billions in infrastructure and energy investments.