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USAID Information:
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Djibouti
The Development Challenge: Djibouti suffers from a deteriorating economy and a weak productive sector. It is still suffering from the after-effects of its civil war (1990-1994), which caused large displacements of populations and the destruction of schools and clinics. It is ranked 153 among 174 countries in the UNDP's Human Development Index. Djibouti's arid climate and rocky soil are inhospitable to agriculture and large-scale livestock-raising, and, except for large salt deposits, it has no known natural resources. The population of Djibouti is 75% urban and suffers from a 60% - 70% unemployment rate. Over 60% of the primary school age population does not attend school. Djibouti exhibits high rates of infant and under-five child mortality, estimated at 114 and 165 per 1,000 live births respectively. Maternal mortality is estimated at 740 per 100,000 live births, one of the highest rates in the world. Approximately 31% of the under-five population suffers from malnutrition.
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Djibouti's strength and potential for development rests in its strategic location, which has proved to be important for regional security and trade. Djibouti has become the major port for over $100 million in emergency relief imports to Ethiopia and hosts U.S. forces fighting the Global War On Terrorism, the only American military base on the African continent. Therefore the United States has a significant national interest in Djibouti. This interest has been demonstrated by high-level meetings and visits between American and Djiboutian officials in the past year, including a visit by President Guelleh to Washington to meet with President Bush.
The present government of Djibouti has sought to use its strategic location for trade as the basis for new and cohesive strategies to develop Djibouti into a modern and efficient commercial city-state. It has done this through the promotion of trade liberalization, modern communication strategies, and strategies to develop Djibouti's human capital, specifically through the development of its education and health care systems.
The USAID Program: Two strategic objectives concentrating on improving basic education (grades one through nine) and expanding basic health services (targeted to improving maternal and child care) have been adopted for the USAID program in Djibouti. In the area of basic education, the USAID program will expand access, especially for girls, and improve the quality of schooling (with the focus on improving teacher effectiveness and providing classroom material). In the health sector, USAID will focus on providing an increased supply of essential health services, improving the quality of services, and enhancing local capacity to sustain health services. Both strategic objectives are designed to maximize synergies between the health and education sectors that will assist in their implementation by local communities.
Other Program Elements: Djibouti is a chronic food deficit country requiring an estimated 13,000 metric tons (MT) of food annually from the international donor community. USAID has worked closely with the World Food Program (WFP) to develop an operation encompassing a variety of activities that target different groups, including support to vulnerable Djiboutians through rural food-for-work activities and urban institutional feeding and relief for Somali refugees in Djibouti. In FY 2003, USAID provided an initial 4,000 metric tons of commodities valued at $2.2 million (with two-thirds going to Djiboutians, and one third to refugees), and it is anticipated that a similar commitment will be made in FY 2004. The target group includes an estimated 43,000 Djiboutians and refugees.
In addition to the resources requested under the two strategic objectives, Djibouti will benefit from REDSO's Regional Food Security Program which will provide $4.0 million to develop an export promotion facility in Djibouti. This facility will support the export of livestock from Somalia, Ethiopia, and Djibouti to the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula. This activity will result in substantial new income for thousands of families in the three countries. In addition, $1.0 million will be used to establish a Famine Early Warning System operation in Djibouti. This new operation will provide the capacity to monitor and assess up-to-date food security data in Djibouti, something that is not available at present. Finally, in FY 2004 under a grant of $400,000 from the Africa Bureau, the International Foundation for Education and Self Help (IFESH) will begin activities in Djibouti through its Teachers for Africa Program.
Other Donors: Donor coordination is improving with the establishment of a USAID office in Djibouti. With USAID leadership, the Ministry of Education has established the practice of working meetings with all relevant donors to coordinate their activities. A similar system will be established for the health program. Informal meetings with heads of donor agencies have also begun. Until recently, donor assistance has been steadily declining (from $88 million in 1993 to $37 million in 1999). Currently the largest donors are the United States, the French Development Agency, and the World Bank, all of which have committed approximately $50 million for multi-year health programs and $35 million in education. The Islamic Fund and the African Development Bank have provided some support for secondary schooling and hospital construction.
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