The Untold History of Djibouti’s Ali Sabieh Region: A Crossroads of Geopolitics and Resilience
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Nestled in the arid landscapes of Djibouti, the Ali Sabieh region has long been a silent witness to the ebb and flow of global power dynamics. While often overshadowed by Djibouti City’s bustling ports and military bases, Ali Sabieh holds its own as a critical junction in one of the world’s most contested regions. Its history is a tapestry of colonial ambition, Cold War maneuvering, and modern-day geopolitical rivalries.
Centuries before European powers carved up Africa, Ali Sabieh was a waypoint for nomadic Afar and Issa tribes, as well as merchants traversing the Horn of Africa. The region’s sparse vegetation and rocky terrain belied its importance as a transit zone for trade between the Ethiopian highlands and the Red Sea coast.
When the French established the colony of French Somaliland in the late 19th century, Ali Sabieh became a minor administrative post. Unlike Djibouti City, which flourished as a coaling station for steamships, Ali Sabieh’s role was more subdued—yet no less strategic. The French built a railway connecting Ethiopia to the coast, with Ali Sabieh as a key stop. This infrastructure would later shape the region’s destiny.
The mid-20th century saw Ali Sabieh caught in the crosshairs of Cold War tensions. As Djibouti inched toward independence (achieved in 1977), the U.S. and Soviet Union eyed the region for its proximity to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—a chokepoint for global oil shipments.
Ali Sabieh’s proximity to Ethiopia and Somalia made it a de facto buffer zone during the Ogaden War (1977-1978). Soviet-backed Ethiopia and U.S.-aligned Somalia clashed just beyond Djibouti’s borders, and Ali Sabieh became a refuge for displaced communities. The Djiboutian government, led by Hassan Gouled Aptidon, walked a tightrope of neutrality, a policy that continues to define the country’s foreign relations.
Today, Ali Sabieh is at the heart of Djibouti’s transformation into a geopolitical hotspot. While Djibouti City hosts foreign military bases (from the U.S. to China), Ali Sabieh’s role is more subtle but equally significant.
China’s investments in Djibouti include upgrades to the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, which passes through Ali Sabieh. This project exemplifies Beijing’s strategy of infrastructure diplomacy. For locals, the railway promises economic opportunities, but it also raises questions about debt dependency and sovereignty.
Just 50 kilometers from Ali Sabieh, Camp Lemonnier—the U.S.’s largest permanent base in Africa—conducts counterterrorism operations across the region. The base’s presence has brought both security and scrutiny, with critics arguing it turns Djibouti into a pawn in America’s "forever wars."
Beyond geopolitics, Ali Sabieh faces existential threats. Rising temperatures and erratic rainfall patterns are exacerbating water scarcity. The region’s pastoralist communities, already living on the edge, now confront dwindling grazing lands.
Decades of overgrazing and deforestation have accelerated desertification. NGOs and the Djiboutian government are experimenting with drought-resistant agriculture, but progress is slow. For Ali Sabieh’s residents, climate change isn’t a distant threat—it’s a daily struggle.
Ali Sabieh may lack the glitz of Djibouti City, but its story mirrors the forces shaping our world: great-power competition, climate migration, and the search for economic survival in a rapidly changing landscape. As foreign powers jostle for influence, the people of Ali Sabieh continue to adapt—proving that even in the harshest environments, resilience endures.