By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Paris, September 10, 2026 - Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh met French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Wednesday for talks on bilateral relations and security in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa, according to Djibouti Presidency.
The meeting came as Paris hosts an international space summit on Sept. 9 and 10.
Guelleh and Macron discussed relations between the two countries and praised decades of cooperation rooted in historical ties, with collaboration spanning defence, education, scientific research and economic development, according to the presidency.
The implementation of a defence cooperation agreement signed by France and Djibouti on July 24, 2024, was among the key issues discussed, it said.
The two leaders also discussed security developments in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, where maritime security concerns have wider implications for international shipping.
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They placed particular emphasis on maritime security and freedom of navigation along international waterways, calling for stronger coordination and cooperation between regional and international actors to safeguard key shipping routes, Ismail said.
Guelleh and Macron also discussed opportunities for regional cooperation and efforts to strengthen peace, stability and security in the Horn of Africa.
Guelleh was accompanied by Djibouti’s Foreign Minister Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, Higher Education Minister Nabil Mohamed Ahmed and Djibouti’s ambassador to France Ayeid Moussa Yahya.
French Ambassador to Djibouti Jérôme Bresson also attended the meeting.
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