DJIBOUTI

Context

Djibouti has a tradition of hosting refugees spanning over four decades; throughout this time it has maintained an open-door policy for refugees. With a population of 887,900 Djibouti currently hosts over 26,000 refugees, mostly from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, and more recently from Yemen. Following political unrest in neighbouring Ethiopia in 2016, Djibouti received close to 5,000 new refugees. The vast majority of refugees in Djibouti live in one of three camps, and are dependent on humanitarian assistance. Large-scale investment and new infrastructure projects provide concrete opportunities to apply the CRRF in areas where both refugees and host communities live, leading to economic growth and development in these areas, for the benefit of both populations. Fulfilling its first Leaders’ Summit pledge, in January 2017, the Government announced a new refugee law aimed at strengthening the protection of refugees and safeguard their fundamental rights, including access to education, employment and eventual naturalisation. This progressive law - once it is implemented through a decree - will pave the way for greater inclusion of refugees in Djiboutian society.

Key Needs

• With less than 1,000km2 of arable land and very little annual rainfall, Djibouti has a chronic food deficit and is wholly dependent on imports to meet its food needs. It is highly sensitive to external shocks such as spikes in food and fuel prices and natural disasters such as floods and droughts.
• There are also limited work opportunities in the country. Its continued hospitality towards refugees puts a strain on domestic resources.

Existing Frameworks

CRRF Partners

Under Development