Small state, big stakes: Djibouti’s strategic leverage in the post-Cold War in Sino-American rivalry

Djibouti, a small state situated along the strategic Bab-el-Mandab Strait, has become a pivotal actor in the Sino-American rivalry in the Horn of Africa (HoA). Despite its limited size and resources, it has leveraged its geographic position and diplomacy to exert influence in global power relations. This article explores how Djibouti harnesses geographic leverage, hosting American and Chinese military bases and driving regional security cooperation, to transcend its small-state constraints. Through smart statecraft, it adeptly balances great power competition while enhancing diplomatic influence and strategic autonomy. Djibouti’s navigation of geopolitical complexities exemplifies the rising role of small states in shaping a multipolar global order, offering fresh insights into strategic agency in contemporary international relations.