State in Djibouti

The Constitution places sovereignty with the people, exercised through elected representation or a referendum. The President is head of state, head of government and commander-in-chief, and safeguards national security, independence and territorial integrity. The Prime Minister coordinates the Government and ministries, leads the administration and chairs interministerial work. The National Assembly is a unicameral parliament that adopts laws and exercises parliamentary oversight. The judicial system includes the Cour suprême and other courts, with judicial independence supported by the Conseil supérieur de la magistrature. The Haute Cour de Justice can hear cases involving the President or ministers under the applicable constitutional rules. The Conseil constitutionnel reviews constitutional compliance, protects constitutional rights and supervises the regularity of elections and referendums. Since the 2025 constitutional revision, it has nine members serving one non-renewable nine-year term; the President, National Assembly and Conseil supérieur de la magistrature each appoint three members. A party to court proceedings may raise an exception d’inconstitutionnalité through the court hearing the case, which can refer it to the Cour suprême and, where appropriate, the Conseil constitutionnel. Each reviewing body generally has a one-month period for its examination. Djibouti has five regions: Ali-Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Obock and Tadjourah. Each region is a public-law legal entity with financial autonomy and an elected conseil régional. Djibouti-Ville has a special territorial structure with a Conseil de Djibouti, an executive body and three communes: Ras-Dika, Boulaos and Balbala. State services are also distributed through déconcentration, meaning that central government powers are exercised locally by Préfets and Préfectures. The Ministère délégué chargé de la Décentralisation manages policies for transferring powers and resources and supports local development plans. The exact legal autonomy and delegated responsibilities of communes remain unevenly documented in the official reform process. The Ministère de l’Intérieur handles territorial divisions, Préfectures, civil registration, naturalisation, associations, migration, borders, internal order, police, civil protection and refugee-related administration. Sector ministries deliver public services and supervise public institutions and state-owned companies. Depending on the procedure, the responsible office may be a ministry, Préfecture or commune. Fees are specific to the service; no general public-administration fee applies to every procedure. Processing times also depend on the procedure. The Ministère du Budget prepares and executes the state budget, manages taxes, customs, state property and public accounting, and supports revenue collection and budget control. The 2026 initial finance law records revenue and expenditure of 172,300,293,496 FDJ, and budget credits opened on 5 January 2026. Budget rules also include amending finance laws and settlement laws. Regions have autonomous budgets, with resources provided through legal allocations and transfers. The Ministère du Budget and the Ministère de l’Économie, des Finances et de la Planification share responsibilities concerning public debt and public enterprises. The National Assembly reviews legislation and public finances. The Cour des Comptes is an autonomous financial jurisdiction that examines public accountants, management, state and local services, public institutions, public companies and the performance of public action. Internal financial, accounting and tax controls are carried out within the budget administration. The Journal officiel de la République de Djibouti, commonly called JORD, is the official publication through which laws, decrees, finance laws and reports are made available. Administrative decisions can be challenged under the applicable special legislation before the competent court. The Constitution protects equality, life, liberty, security, freedom of expression, religion, association, trade-union activity and the right to strike, subject to legal limits. The Ministry of the Interior registers associations and political parties and issues their registration receipt. The Ministère de la Communication, des Postes et des Télécommunications regulates media and audiovisual, print and electronic communications, including licences, specifications and press accreditation. The Conseil National de la Communication contributes to the media regulatory framework, while RTD is the state broadcaster. Somali and Afar remain practically relevant languages, although the constitutional official languages are French and Arabic. National defence falls under the President and is carried out through the Ministère de la Défense, the Armée Nationale, the Gendarmerie Nationale and the Garde Républicaine. The Ministère de l’Intérieur manages the Police Nationale, public security, borders, migration and organised crime. The BCNM coordinates national migration matters. The Direction de la Protection Civile manages prevention, emergency planning, rescue and safety controls, while ONARS deals with refugees and disaster-affected people. Djiboutian citizens have a duty to defend the nation and its territorial integrity. A foreign national with regular residence receives protection for their person and property. Arrest and detention are subject to judicial safeguards, including a presumption of innocence and the right of defence. The President may adopt emergency measures only where a serious and immediate threat interrupts the regular operation of state institutions; the National Assembly then meets by right. The Senate has not yet been established and may be created when the constitutional conditions are met.