Djibouti-U.S. Joint Statement On Strategic Partnership
By Office of the Press Secretary,
5 May 2014
Document
Joint Statement by the Leaders of the United States and the Republic of
Djibouti
Today at the White House, President Obama and Djiboutian President Ismail
Omar Guelleh pledged to work closely together to advance their shared vision
for a secure, stable, and prosperous Horn of Africa and to strengthen and
deepen the strategic partnership between our two countries.
Economic, Trade, and Energy Cooperation
President Obama and President Guelleh discussed their shared vision for
addressing human capital and economic development challenges in Djibouti.
President Obama noted his strong support for the Djiboutian government's
efforts to achieve its ambitious reform goals and to respond to the needs of
Djiboutian citizens. President Guelleh highlighted the positive impact of
U.S. investments in Djiboutian communities, particularly in the areas of
health and education, and President Obama commended President Guelleh for
his commitment to lowering unemployment, reducing poverty, and improving
reliable access to energy, potable water, and health care.
To help grow Djibouti's economy and assist Djibouti in achieving these
goals, the United States pledged to increase technical and financial
assistance to the Djiboutian people and to invest in Djibouti's development
priorities. President Obama pledged to expand U.S.-sponsored workforce
education and training to help strengthen Djibouti's workforce and set a
foundation for expanded employment and private sector investment.
President Obama also reaffirmed his strong commitment to expanding reliable
access to electricity in Africa. Given Djibouti's electricity needs and to
enhance its role as a regional commercial hub, the United States plans to
provide technical assistance to support Djibouti's energy sector. The
leaders identified areas for future cooperation on energy, including through
the East African Geothermal Partnership. The United States plans to help
build the Government of Djibouti's technical and institutional capacity to
leverage greater private sector investment across the energy sector,
including working together to catalyze private financing to develop
renewable energy in Djibouti.
Regional Integration, Youth Empowerment, and Development
President Obama congratulated President Guelleh on Djibouti's committed
participation and leadership in regional bodies, including as host to and
co-founder of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
President Obama noted his strong support for President Guelleh's leadership
in the Horn of Africa and welcomed his plans for infrastructure development
and economic integration across an increasingly vital region. The two
leaders shared their assessments of the pivotal role economic development
and democratic governance can play in Djibouti's future, including in
advancing economic and development goals.
President Obama recognized President Guelleh for his commitment to
empowering women and girls and promoting increased access to education and
health services. President Obama congratulated President Guelleh on the
Djiboutian youth who have been selected to represent Djibouti as
participants in the Young African Leaders Initiative. The leaders emphasized
the importance of supporting young entrepreneurs, encouraging youth to
engage in public service and invest in the next generation of African
leaders.
The Presidents also discussed ways that the U.S. presence at Camp Lemonnier
can help further expand economic opportunity for the Djiboutian people,
including through the Administration's work with the U.S. Congress on
proposed "Djibouti First" legislation that would that would give preference
to Djiboutian products and services in Department of Defense procurements in
support of U.S. requirements in Djibouti. In doing so, the United States
seeks to promote stability and economic development beneficial to both
countries and to demonstrate our long term commitment to Djibouti's long
term economic growth.
Defense, Security and Regional Counterterrorism Cooperation
The two leaders discussed their shared commitment to increase security and
stability in the Horn of Africa and to prevent al-Qa'ida and al-Shabaab from
gaining new footholds. President Obama and President Guelleh discussed
ongoing civilian and military cooperation in the areas of countering
terrorism and violent extremism, countering piracy, enhancing maritime
security, and securing Djibouti's borders. They recognized the important
role that U.S.-Djibouti cooperation plays in achieving these goals, and
reaffirmed that our shared security priorities remain a central component of
our relationship.
The Presidents noted Camp Lemonnier's critical role as an operational
headquarters for regional security and the importance the base plays in
protecting Americans and Djiboutians alike from violent extremist
individuals and organizations. President Obama thanked President Guelleh for
helping ensure the safety and security of U.S. personnel in Djibouti.
President Obama announced the United States' intention to provide enhanced
security assistance and equipment to Djiboutian security forces to advance
these shared regional security and counterterrorism goals, including by
providing materiel and assistance to Djiboutian forces deploying to the
African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The leaders also plan to expand
liaison relationships as a critical way to deepen our partnership.
Shared Efforts in Somalia
The Presidents noted that transnational challenges in the Horn of Africa
cannot be met by any one country alone. President Obama commended Djibouti's
important contributions to peace and security in Somalia, including through
its participation in AMISOM operations aimed at defeating al-Shabaab and by
organizing a number of reconciliation conferences in support of peacemaking
efforts. Djibouti has also strongly and consistently supported multinational
efforts to counter piracy off the coast of Somalia.
President Guelleh noted that Djibouti's efforts as part of AMISOM have
helped provide Somalis with their best chance to achieve security, stability
and peace in more than two decades. The two leaders discussed Djibouti's
experience as a troop-contributing country to AMISOM. The Presidents
highlighted the need to support renewed efforts by AMISOM and the Somali
National Army to defeat al-Shabaab and to help bring security and stability
to Somalia. This commitment has not been without burden and cost. President
Obama praised the brave service of Djiboutian soldiers in Somalia and
recognized the sacrifices members of the Djiboutian Armed Forces and their
families have made to help bring peace to Somalia.
A Long-Term Strategic Partnership
President Obama and President Guelleh concluded their meeting by reaffirming
their shared commitment to the special and longstanding relationship between
the United States and the Republic of Djibouti. The leaders pledged to
continue to work to strengthen our strategic partnership and contribute to a
more secure world. To carry this important dialogue forward, they intend to
establish a U.S.-Djibouti Binational Forum and to designate senior officials
to lead the implementation of the commitments made today in the spirit of
building a vibrant 21st Century Strategic Partnership grounded in
friendship, mutual trust, and common security.
Remarks by President Obama and President Guelleh of Djibouti before
Bilateral Meeting
Oval Office
05/05/2014
10:58 A.M. EDT
PRESIDENT OBAMA: I want to welcome President Guelleh and his delegation
here today.
I had an opportunity to visit Djibouti when I was a senator, before I was
elected President, and saw firsthand the importance of U.S. cooperation with
Djibouti. Obviously, Camp Lemonnier is extraordinarily important not only
to our work throughout the Horn of Africa but throughout the region. And we
very much appreciate the hospitality that the Djiboutians provide, but we
also are very appreciative of the opportunity to meet with the President
here today and to deepen this relationship further.
Today we’ll be discussing a wide range of issues. In addition to our
security cooperation, we’re deeply interested in working with the President
around development and issues of being able to expand education and health
care work that we’re already doing with the government of Djibouti. We’re
extremely interested in regional issues and we want to say how much we
appreciate the work that Djibouti has done through AMISOM in Somalia, an
area where there have been continuing growing threats not only to the Somali
people but al-Shabaab obviously has carried out operations throughout East
Africa and there’s a significant presence of soldiers from Djibouti who are
participating in the multinational force that has been able to push back
al-Shabaab’s control over large portions of Somalia.
Today, in addition to announcing the long-term lease that we are signing
with Djibouti, we also hope that we can discuss the Africa Leaders Summit
that I’ll be hosting this year. We appreciate the President’s participating
and we’re going to be looking at his advice on a range of issues that we can
work on together. And we’re going to continue to engage with the government
of Djibouti around issues related to human rights in the region. Human
trafficking continues to be a concern. There is an action plan that the
government of Djibouti has put in place and we want to find ways in which we
can assist in implementing.
So, overall, this is a critical facility that we maintain in Djibouti. We
could not do it without the President’s cooperation. We’re grateful for him
agreeing for a long-term presence there. We look forward to deepening
cooperation that benefits the people of Djibouti as well as the people of
the United States of America.
Welcome. Thank you.
PRESIDENT GUELLEH: (As interpreted.) Mr. President, thank you very much.
I’m very happy to be in Washington, D.C., today, and I thank you for the
warm welcome that you have extended to me and my delegation.
I’d very much like to achieve reinforced relations between Djibouti and the
United States. And I would like to thank President Obama. And I would like
to thank President Obama once more for having shown such a willingness to
receive us here. As the President of Djibouti, I also would like to say
that our relation is a relation of strategic partnership. And I not only
thank the President for that, but also for everything the President is doing
-- his cooperation in terms of development, our political develop -- our
development policy. And Djibouti is very much helped by the President in
terms of, as he said himself, health care education -- and especially, in
our case, food security. And I think that what’s important here is that the
President has a vision. He has a vision for the development of Africa and
in general, and for our region in particular. And I thank you for that
vision, Mr. President.
The fact that we welcome the U.S. forces in our country show our support for
international peace and for peace in our region as well. As you know,
Djibouti is not only taking part in AMISOM, but we are also present in
Darfur, Côte d’Ivoire, Western Sahara, and soon enough in the Central
African Republic. We do that all for peace in the world and for peace in
Africa. So I am very happy to be here today to continue to reinforce our
partnership and our relationship.