China and Djibouti Elevate Bilateral Relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Beijing, The Gulf Observer: Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh in Beijing today, where the two leaders jointly announced the elevation of China-Djibouti relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. President Guelleh is in the Chinese capital to attend the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

During the meeting, President Xi expressed his deep appreciation for President Guelleh’s consistent participation in all FOCAC summits since its inception. He highlighted the exemplary role that China and Djibouti have played in advancing South-South cooperation, noting that China is committed to supporting Djibouti in key infrastructure projects such as the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway and the Djibouti International Free Trade Zone. President Xi underscored China’s readiness to assist Djibouti in its ambitions to become a regional trade and logistics hub, contributing to peace and development in the Horn of Africa and across the African continent.

President Guelleh affirmed Djibouti’s commitment to continuing its collaboration on significant projects like the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, while deepening pragmatic cooperation with China across various sectors. He expressed Djibouti’s eagerness to enhance communication and collaboration with China to bolster regional security and development.

During the FOCAC summit, China and Djibouti are set to sign several cooperation agreements, focusing on areas such as economy, trade, development, and aerospace, further solidifying the strategic partnership between the two nations.