WT/TPR/S/159 Trade Policy Review 
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IV. ANALYSIS OF TRADE POLICY AND PRACTICE BY SECTOR 
(1) OVERVIEW  
1. The services sector (mainly port services) plays a key role in Djibouti’s economy, particularly 
in terms of jobs and contribution to the GDP.  Po rt services make Djibouti a net exporter of services, 
although its potential for trade in services remains unde r-exploited.  The desire to make better use of 
its comparative advantages in this area has le d the Government to draw up strategies, inter alia , for 
structural reform (including privatization) and fina ncing (notably in partnership with other countries, 
the United Arab Emirates in particular). 
2. The reforms under way and those envisaged for th e future provide for th e State’s withdrawal 
or reduced State intervention in key activities su ch as the supply of telecommunications, water, 
electricity and transport services and postal services.  Djibouti’s commitments under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) are confined  to some postal and courier services, hotel and 
restaurant services, telecommunications, and cult ural and sporting services (underwater diving 
centre). 
3. Djibouti has hardly any known mining resources, and the conditions are ideal for agricultural 
production.  Organizational constr aints, including the infrastructure and strategic weaknesses (by 
increasing production costs) are an obstacle to the only possibility for Djibouti to produce goods, namely, local processing of imported inputs.  Conse quently, domestic production of goods is marginal 
and the majority of strategies drawn up to remedy th is situation take a long time before actually being 
implemented. 
(2) 
AGRICULTURE , LIVESTOCK , FISHING AND RELATED ACTIVITIES  
4. Highly dependent on geographical conditions, including the climate, the agricultural sector 
merely accounts for some 3 per cent of the GDP.  Dji bouti has only 10,000 hectares of arable land, of 
which 1,000 are cultivated.  Some 9.5 per cent of th e land under cultivation is i rrigated.  Half of the 
arable land is in the north; the majority of crops are grown in the south, however, mainly in the 
districts of Ali-Sabieh, Dikhil and Djibouti.  There are around 1,600 farms in Djibouti, employing an 
approximate total of 3,600 people.1  The average area of farms is one half hectare. 
5. Agricultural production is of the oasis type and is primarily family-run subsistence farming. 
Livestock breeding is chiefly nomadic and is the ma jor activity of the rural population in terms of 
jobs.  Fishing is not sufficiently developed.  Da tes, lemons, mangos, melons and vegetables are the 
main food crops grown. Production was estimated to be 4,000 tonn es in 2001 and covers almost 
10 per cent of national demand for fruit and vegetables.   Djibouti is therefore a net importer of food 
products;  its imports of food produc ts and beverages accounted for 30. 5 per cent of total imports of 
goods between 2000 and 2002. 
6. According to the FAO, the poor yields are due to  the recent installation of gardens, combined 
with a lack of experience or an agricultural tradition among the rural population, the poor soil, the 
salinity of the water, shortcomings in the design of  the gardens (badly designed levelling of the land 
and irrigation networks), the absence of windbreaks and shade and, lastly, the inappropriate cultural 
techniques used.  Nevertheless, by properly inco rporating livestock breeding and the pastoral 
                                                      
1 Statement by the Minister for Agriculture, Livest ock and Marine Affairs, responsible for hydraulic 
resources.  Seminar to review Government action. Available at: http://www.presidence.dj/mem.html [2 August 2005]. Djibouti WT/TPR/S/159 
 Page 49 
 
 
communities, which have been the most affected by desertification, the oasis-type model could 
provide a response to the crisis in the pastoral sector.2 
7. The main objective of Djibouti’s ag ricultural policy is food security.3  To achieve this, the 
Government plans to carry out the following action:   (i) increase irrigated areas;  (ii) diversify 
livestock activities;  (iii) exploit the small pelagi c fish to be found in Djiboutian waters;  and 
(iv) provide safe supplies of drinking water in ru ral areas so as to increase production of animals and 
plants and, as a result, enhance the food security of  the most vulnerable sector of the population.  The 
introduction of a special food security progra mme and a micro-credit programme is being 
implemented by IFAD. 
8. The Government’s global strategy for the decade 2001-2010, as set out in the Economic and 
Social Policy Law4, defines as the main objectives for th e agricultural sector as a whole:  
(i) combating poverty by raising revenue and living standards among the rural population;  (ii) halting 
the rural exodus;  (iii) rational e xploitation of natural resources in order to enhance and protect the 
environment and biodiversity;  (iv) developing arable land, increasing the area under irrigation and 
promoting livestock and fishing activities with a view to increasing local agricultural production 
(vegetables, fruit, meat and fish);  (v) developi ng oasis-type agriculture in order to promote 
cultivation of the date palm in particular;  a nd (vi) reorganizing the Ministry responsible for 
agriculture so as to build up its structures for planning, monitoring development programmes and 
disseminating information. 
9. In addition to its outreach activities, the Stat e will focus on planning, research, development 
and monitoring the sector.  It will assume responsibilit y for all those activities that cannot be carried 
out by the private sector or th e cooperative movement, namely, inter alia , sanitary and phytosanitary 
controls.  The average internal consumption tax (TIC) on agricultural products (ISIC definition, 
revision 2) is 20.9 per cent, with rates going up to  33 per cent.  Since Djibouti is a net importer of 
agricultural products, including foodstuffs, these rates appear relatively high.  The price of 
agricultural products is determined by the market an d there is no taxation in the sector.  Products are 
marketed directly by farmers and livestock breeders. 
(i) Policy by type of product 
(a) Crop production 
10. Djibouti’s three main branches of agriculture in order of importance are:  cultivation of 
vegetable crops, arboriculture and livestock breeding; they are organized in the form of cooperatives. 
During the 2004-2005 agricultural season, 5,369 tonn es were produced, comprising 2,835 tonnes of 
fruit, 2,324 tonnes of vegetables and 208 tonnes of animal feed crops. 
11. The development strategy for crop production is essentially based on the following:  
(i) raising productivity by disseminating growing techniques and introducing species adapted to local 
circumstances (tests are being carried out to prom ote palms), and by integrating livestock breeding 
and crop production;  (ii) strengt hening and rehabilitation of farms in the north and the south-west 
affected by the conflict in 1992;  (iii) diversifyi ng production with a view to enhancing the sector’s 
profitability;  (iv) improving hydr o-agricultural schemes by using sola r energy instead of diesel fuel; 
and (v) transfer of State-owned farms to private farmers. 
                                                      
2 Information available at: http://www.pre sidence.dj/mem.html [2 August 2005]. 
3 General policy declaration of the Government for the decade 2001-2010. Available at: 
http://www.presidence.dj/page4 12.html [14 January 2005]. 
4 Law No. 149/AN/02/4èmeL of 31 January 2002. WT/TPR/S/159 Trade Policy Review 
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12. A minimum TIC rate of 8 per cent applies to grai ns. Higher rates apply to other crops, with an 
average of 27.7 per cent on cut flowers and plants and 23.4 per cent on coffee, tea and cocoa, 
inter alia.  
(b) Livestock breeding 
13. In 2002, Djibouti’s livestock herd, chiefly compo sed of small ruminants, was estimated to be 
around 1 million head.  Nomadic herding accounts for 90 per cent of activities in the subsector and is characterized by mobility governed by rainfall.  Sedent ary stock-raising is practised in the vicinity of 
population centres or water sources.  Livestock br eeding is the source of livelihood for almost 
one third of the population.  The national abattoir is managed by the State. 
14. Development of livestock breeding has been affect ed in recent years by a series of droughts. 
The authorities estimate that, since 1992, these droughts have destroyed one quarter of the herd.
5 
Djibouti acts as a transit centre for regional trade in livestock.  Droughts and animal diseases have 
badly affected the transit of animals coming from Ethiopia.6  Before the embargo imposed by 
importing countries on animals from the Horn of Africa, Djibouti exported annually up to 350,000 head of cattle in 1990;  the figure fell to only  2,000 in 2002.  Since then, the herd has started 
to grow.  In 2003, exports of ca ttle resumed (30,230), particularly to Yemen, where conditions for the 
import of animals are more flexible.  Nevert heless, exports dropped again to 13,891 in 2004.
7 
15. Ancient nomadic traditions do not provide th e conditions for industrial exploitation of 
Djibouti’s livestock sector, although it has considerab le commercial potential.  In order to develop 
livestock breeding, the strategy planned comprises the following:  (i) raising productivity of livestock 
breeding and methods of exploiting herds;  (ii)  diversifying livestock breeding activities (poultry 
breeding, bee-keeping and rabbit breeding);  ( iii) improving pastoral water utilization;  
(iv) transferring technology to breeders-herder s through appropriate technical assistance, active 
training methods and pilot demonstrations;  and (v) ensuring animal health by implementing the 
national component of the PanAfrican Progra mme for the Control of Epizootics (PACE).8 
16. The projects being implemented are intended to boost exports of live cattle, providing 
standards, quality regulations, together with impl ementation of the PACE and the introduction of a 
monitoring system and an animal diagnosis laboratory. 
17. According to the Diagnostic Study under the Integrated Framework, no less than five 
ministries (agriculture, trade, finance, interior and foreign affairs) are currently involved in the 
international trade in cattle, not to mention the port authorities and the Chamber of Commerce.  In 
2003, the Ministry of Agriculture was appointed the focal point for the simplification of 
administrative procedures with a view to intro ducing a single window.  Measures have reportedly 
been taken in order to set up the window. 
18. In 2004, a regional cattle export centre, finan ced by USAID, covering an enclosed area of 
605 hectares, was set up but has not yet started to operate.9  Its aim is to promote activities related to 
                                                      
5 Central Bank of Djibouti (2002). 
6 Overall, the Horn of Africa has an extremely large herd of livestock.  Ethiopia possesses the largest 
number of cattle on the African continent and Somalia  has 30 per cent of the world’s dromedary herd. 
7 These figures also include re-exports. 
8 General policy declaration of the Government.  Available at: http://www.presidence.dj/page 412.html 
[14 January 2005]. 
9 Decree No. 2004-0015/PRE of 27 January 2004 and Order No. 2004-0530/PR/MEFPCP of 
8 August 2004. Djibouti WT/TPR/S/159 
 Page 51 
 
 
the cattle trade in the region, as well as to boost in ternational trade flows. The installation of the 
appropriate infrastructure should allow Djibouti to receive animals under good conditions and in 
accordance with sanitary conditions appropriate for exports. 
19. The TIC ranges from 8 to 20 per cent, with an average of 17.5 per cent on animals and animal 
products. 
(c) Fisheries and fish products10 
20. The fisheries sector’s contribution to real GDP is marginal. Nevertheless, Djibouti has 
abundant fisheries resources, estimated at 48,000 tonnes in 2002, although they are not sufficiently exploited.  Fishing is practised on a small s cale along the coastline extending 372 kilometres and 
employs some 1,000 people.  Catches are mainly composed of tuna, barracuda, seerfish, jobfish, 
groupers, swordfish and carangids.  There is no fish farming or aquaculture even though the 
conditions are suitable for breeding certain species (shrimps and algae). 
21. Despite a number of support programmes, productio n and consumption are stagnating (1.5 kg. 
per capita per annum).
11  Inadequate equipment, particul arly for preserving and processing, the 
shortcomings of the distribution network, inadequa te training and lack of financing limit production, 
which was only 940 tonnes in 2002, although this was an increase of 3.7 per cent compared with 
2001.  Exports only amount to an average of 20 tonnes a year, mainly to Ethiopia and countries in the Gulf. 
22. In its general policy declaration for the decade 2001-2010, the Gove rnment planned to 
introduce a sustainable management programme to diversify fisheries resources and increase the 
volume of marine fishing.  It concerns the follo wing:  (i) encouraging the private sector and the 
cooperative movement to become involved and invest in  marine fishing activities;  (ii)  improving fish 
distribution and marketing chains and promoting lo cal consumption of fish;  (iii) encouraging an 
increase in the fishing fleet with wider coverage ;  (iv) providing ongoing training in the Obock 
training centre for professional fishermen; (v) givi ng technical support to cooperatives active in the 
sector; (vi)  ensuring that the fisheries sector adopt s international sanitary standards;  and (vii)  
introducing a research programme focusing on experi mental fishing and the commencement of some 
aquaculture activities. 
23. In the short term, under the 2003-2005 priority  programme, the Government intended to 
review the production structure and increase fishing ac tivities, as well as training/outreach in order to 
build up technical and management capacity among fishing communities and institutions.  For this 
purpose, a Fisheries Master Plan (for the period 2005-2010) was drawn up and endorsed in 2004;  a 
request for financing its priority action programm es was submitted to the African Development Bank 
(ADB).  Furthermore, under a project financed by the FAO
12, the technical capacity of fishing 
communities is being strengthened. 
24. The basic text governing fishing is Law No. 187/AN/02/4èmeL of 9 September 2002 
establishing the Fisheries Code.  Implementing decrees should set out the conditions for fishing and 
limit catches, but at the time this report was being finalized they were still being drafted. 
                                                      
10 Ministry of Agriculture, Livest ock and Marine Affairs (2004). 
11 The population of Djibouti does not have any maritime tradition. 
12 Project TCP/DJI/FAO/2096-A. WT/TPR/S/159 Trade Policy Review 
Page 52 
 
 
25. The Code only authorizes artisanal fishing.13  In waters under Djiboutian jurisdiction, 
commercial fishing is limited to vessels registered  in Djibouti and Djiboutian nationals.  The Code 
does not allow any fishing without a licence.  A nnual licences are issued by the Ministry of 
Agriculture, Livestock and Marine Affairs, and are subj ect to payment of a fee to be fixed in an order 
currently being drawn up.  Three categories of artisanal fishing are defined and authorized: 
(i) enhanced artisanal fishing, on vessels measuring ov er 9 metres;  (ii) small-scale artisanal fishing on 
vessels of up to 9 metres;  and (iii) traditional fishi ng, either on foot or on floating equipment that 
does not have to be registered.  The Direction des affaires maritimes (Department of Marine Affairs) 
is responsible for registering fishing vessels. 
26. For health reasons, since 1998 the EU has pr ohibited the import of fish and other fish 
products from Djibouti.  In order to comply with  the standards prescribed by importing countries, 
Djibouti is drawing up regulatory texts taking into  account international sanitary standards.  The 
construction of a food hygiene laboratory is also under way. 
27. In 1999, a fishing port was built and a conc ession granted to the Djibouti Maritime 
Management and Investment Company in 2004.14  Its task is to develop and promote fishing activities 
and aquaculture.  The port has the status of a free zone.15 
28. The TIC ranges from 8 to 33 per cent, with an average of 20.1 per cent on fish and fish 
products. 
(3) MINING AND ENERGY  
(i) Overview 
29. The strategy for natural resources and energy consists of implemen ting a study programme 
and developing mineral and energy resources through the following:  (i) improving knowledge of the 
country’s geology (mapping and estimating the qualit y and volume of deposits and useful substances 
such as perlite, clay and dimension stone, as we ll as epithermal-type deposits such as base and 
precious metals, and selecting deposits that can be e xploited;  (ii) evaluating the geothermal energy 
potential and conducting a technical and economic feasibility study on transforming geothermal 
energy into electric energy;  (iii) updating and redeve loping the perlite deposit (Eguer Alaita), as well 
as establishing cement works at Ali Sabieh and dimension stone quarries fo r construction in rural 
areas;  (iv) creating a documentation centre using a computerized medium that includes GIS (Geographical Information System) space data in order to update, organize and manage geological 
and technical data on Djibouti;  (v)  establishing a partnership or profitable contracts with foreign 
companies, international organizations, and universities or scientific centres;  (vi) defining measures 
to be adopted and actions that need to be taken to protect the environment;  and (vii) acquiring the 
necessary technical means to evaluate the count ry’s soil and subsoil resources and providing the 
geology department with the necessary equipment.
16 
30. The Government’s strategy is to promote and develop Djibouti’s mining wealth, particularly 
salt (already being exploited), gyps um and perlite (not yet exploited) . Surveys are being undertaken to 
                                                      
13 Artisanal fishing is defined as commercial fishing carried out on foot or on vessels without 
refrigeration equipment which remain aro und 72 hours at sea during one trip. 
14 Law No. 52/AN/99/4èmeL of 21 August 1999 and D ecree No. 2004-0027/PR/MEFPP of 
25 February 2004. 
15 Law No. 54/AN/99/4èmeL of 21 August 1999 establishing and regulating the Djibouti fishing port 
free zone. 
16 Law No. 149/AN/02/4èmeL of 31 January 2002. Djibouti WT/TPR/S/159 
 Page 53 
 
 
determine whether there are gold reserves.  In orde r to achieve these objectives, Djibouti is focusing 
on joint ventures with foreign investors. 
(ii) Mining 
31. Depending on the activity, the Mining Code provides for three different types of permit:  a 
prospection permit, an exploration perm it and an operating permit (Table IV.1).17  The Investment 
Code regulates the benefits granted to mining comp anies. According to the Code, mining is open to 
Djiboutian or foreign investors.  In 1997, a r esearch development fund was set up; it should be 
financed by 20 per cent of the surface and mining royalties laid down in Decree No. 97-0064/PR/MIEM but is not yet operating. 
32. The average TIC applicable to mining products is 30.6 per cent, with rates ranging from 20 to 
33 per cent.  The TIC is 20 per cent on salt and 33 pe r cent on perlite. A royalty of DF 500 per tonne 
is levied on exports of salt. 
33. Salt is the major mining resource currently known a nd exploited in Djibouti.  It is mainly to 
be found in the Lake Assal region
18, in the form of a 52 km2 shelf some 60 metres thick.  The salt 
reserves are constantly being replenished with an annual yield of 6 million tonnes, which means that 
the impact of exploitation on the environment is li mited.  For the time being, production consists of 
crude non-iodized salt19, with low value added, and is intende d for industrial use.  Production rose 
until 2001, when it declined, notably as a resu lt of the anti-competitive practices among Djiboutian 
producers and the discovery of a deposit in Ethiopi a (Table IV.2).  Moreover, for fiscal reasons, a 
growing share of the production is no longer being d eclared by operators.  In 2005, a recovery in 
operations in the salt sector was noted as a resu lt of a new export contract with Spain and the 
resumption of exports to Ethiopia. 
Table IV.1 
Mining titles 
Mining rights Term  Restrictions Cost (per annum) 
Prospection permit Valid for one year and renewable 
for two further periods of one year 
each. May not be assigned, 
transferred, handed down 
by succession or given as 
security. DF 20,000 for building material 
quarries or renewal.  DF 50,000 for 
useful substances other than 
precious metals and minerals or renewal.  DF 100,000 for precious metals and 
minerals.  
Surface royalty of DF 200 per km
2. 
 
Exploration permit Valid for a period of three years 
and renewable twice for two years 
each.  DF 50,000 for building material 
quarries and renewal. 
DF 150,000 for minerals and metals. 
Surface royalty of DF 1,000 per 
km
2. 
 
Table IV.1 (cont'd) 
 
 
                                                      
17 Law No. 66/AN/94/3èmeL of 7 December 1994 and Decree No . 97-0064/PR/MIEM of 12 May 1997 
on permits for and taxation of activities relating to mining prospection, exploration and operations. 
18 The lake is approximately 100 kilometres to the west of the capital.  The salt in Lake Assal was first 
mined and exploited in 1998 as a result of demand from the Ethiopian market following the breakdown in 
supplies from Eritrea. 
19 The relatively low iodine content of the salt means that it is not currently suitable for consumption, 
according to the health recommenda tions of the WHO and UNICEF. WT/TPR/S/159 Trade Policy Review 
Page 54 
 
 
Mining rights Term  Restrictions Cost (per annum) 
Operating permit 
 
 
     Artisanal  
 
  
 
     Small-scale   
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
      Large-scale  
 
 
Valid for one year and renewable for the same period. 
 
   
Valid for a period not exceeding 
five years and renewable for two further periods not exceeding three 
years. 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 Valid for a period not exceeding 
20 years and renewable for further 
periods not exceeding 10 years.  
 
 
May not be assigned, transferred, handed down 
by succession, or given as 
security.   
 
May be assigned or transferred subject to the prior consent of the 
Government. The permit 
holder may give the permit or the minerals produced 
on the permit area as 
security or a guarantee subject to the 
Government’s consent. The 
operating permit may not be handed down by 
succession.  
 May be assigned or 
transferred subject to prior 
consent by the Government. The permit 
holder may give the permit 
or the minerals produced on the permit area as 
security or a guarantee 
subject to the Government’s consent. The 
operating permit may not 
be handed down by succession.  DF 20,000 per annum 
Surface royalty of DF 5,000 per 
km
2 (building material quarries), 
DF 20,000 (precious metals and minerals) and DF 10,000 
(substances other than building 
materials, precious metals and minerals).  
 
DF 100,000 per annum for building materials and renewal, and surface royalty of DF 5,000 per km
2.  
DF 150,000 per annum for substances other than precious metals and minerals and building 
materials, and surface royalty of 
DF 20,000 per km
2. 
DF 350,000 per annum for precious 
metals and minerals, and surface 
royalty of DF 50,000 per km2. 
 
 
 DF 500,000 per annum for building 
material quarries and renewal, and 
surface royalty of DF 20,000 per km
2. 
DF 1 million per annum for 
substances other than precious metals and building materials, and 
surface royalty of DF 50,000 per 
km
2. 
DF 2 million per annum for 
precious metals and minerals, and 
surface royalty of DF 100,000 per km
2. 
Source:  Law No. 66/AN/94/3èmeL of 7 December 1994 and Decree No . 97-0064/PR/MIEM of 12 May 1997. 
34. Domestic consumption of salt is only 5,000 tonnes per annum.  Salt is the major export 
product.  Ethiopia is still the leading destination fo r Djibouti’s exports of salt, taking 128,494 tonnes 
in 2003.  Because of the lower cost of transport as a result of the proximity of Ethiopia, Djiboutian 
salt, costing US$29/tonne in 2005 (compared w ith US$50 in 1999) remains competitive on this 
market, even though the global price is US$20.  The prices are fixed by the market. 
Table IV.2 
Salt production, 1998-2004 
(Tonnes) 
 1998 1999  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004a 
Production 91,000 127,283 135,933 173,099 162,266 128,494 12,697 
Number of 
companies 4 11 15 12 12 10 8 
a First quarter. 
Source : Central Bank of Djibouti (2003), Annual report 2003 . 
35. The creation of the Salt Producers’ Association is intended to reorganize the salt industry in 
order to limit the ecological damage caused by the rush to Lake Assal and to remedy unfair 
competition among producers.  In 1999, 25 licences were granted following invitations to tender.  In 
2002, four companies ( Exploitation du sel de Djibouti, Exploitation du lac, Saline de Djibouti, and 
Moussa Ali ) divided up 83 per cent of the market. Djibouti WT/TPR/S/159 
 Page 55 
 
 
(iii) Energy 
(a) Overview 
36. In 2001, water and electricity accounted for 5 per cent of real GDP;  they are only produced 
for the domestic market.  Some households use wood as a source of energy, either for burning in its 
original state or processed into charcoal.  Electric power is derived from thermal sources and is 
supplied to the capital and three rural district headquarters, corresponding to 50 per cent of the country. 
37. The Government’s objective is to make better u se of existing resources.  It is planning the 
following:  (i) the introduction of a new thermal (diesel) power station near Doraleh and is 
considering the possibility of linking it with th e petroleum refinery project;  (ii) conducting a 
feasibility study on the establishment and operation of  a geothermal power station at Lake Assal; 
(iii) updating the study on interconnection with Et hiopia;  and (iv) undertaking studies on the 
possibility of developing wind and solar power.
20 
38. As part of this strategy, the ADB has financed  the updating of a study on interconnection with 
Ethiopia and the invitation to tender should be issued in 2006 with a view to start-up in 2009.  The 
building of a thermal power station in Doraleh is , however, no longer part of the programme as the 
port being built can supply the region with electricity.  The feasibility study for the power station at Lake Assal has already been conducted and endor sed by a regional workshop, but financing is 
lacking. Lastly, the wind and solar power project is deemed too costly. 
39. The Government is currently in the pro cess of:  (i) renovating production facilities and 
completing the introduction of new facilities in or der to boost electricity generation (new diesel 
generators of 6 MW and 15 MW) in order to r espond to growing demand and have a sufficient safety 
margin;  (ii) renovating and reorganizing the networ k of MT and BT cables supplying the capital and 
installing a new 63/20 KV station and a 63 KV loop ( as part of the interconnection with Ethiopia); 
(iii) expanding the production facilities at the Tadj ourah power station and linking it to the town of 
Obock;  (iv) combating illegal connections;  (v) pur suing efforts to restore the financial balance and 
collect payment arrears, and opening up the capital of Électricité de Djibouti  (EDD), as well as 
envisaging the granting of concessions for certain  activities (maintenance and production);  and 
(vi) setting up a vocational training centre.
21 
(b) Electricity 40. In Djibouti, all electric power is generated from thermal sources. The EDD, a State-owned 
enterprise, has a monopoly of generation, distribution and marketing of electricity in the departments 
of Ali-Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock and Ta djourah, while the rest of the country is covered 
by private firms.  In 2004, a total of 38,856 s ubscribers were connected to the grid.  The EDD is 
unable to satisfy all domestic demand.  Electricity coverage compared with the total population is 
49.7 per cent, of whom 99.5 per cent live in ur ban areas, and per capita annual consumption is 
288 kWh (including that of the foreign armed forces based in Djibouti).  From 1999 to 2004, 
production increased by 49 per cent to reach 274 GWh.   Technical losses are estimated to be some 
11 per cent of the electricity generated by the EDD.   The finalization of the interconnection project 
with Ethiopia should allow electricity to be exchanged. 
                                                     
 
20 Law No. 149/AN/02/4èmeL of 31 January 2002. 
21 Idem.  WT/TPR/S/159 Trade Policy Review 
Page 56 
 
 
41. Until the end of the 1990s, the EDD suffered fro m a chronic problem of payment arrears, 
particularly by State-owned enterprises ( Organisation nationale des eaux de Djibouti  (Djibouti 
National Water Board) (ONED), Centre d'études et de recherche de Djibouti  (Djibouti Study and 
Research Centre) (CERD), and the Post Office), the National Assembly and the military barracks.22 
Consequently, the EDD has recorded losses and ha s been unable to renew its equipment, which 
explains the obsolescence of its grid. An improveme nt in payments, which was substantial as of 2001, 
has allowed the EDD’s financial situation to be stabilized to some extent, enabling it to invest 
US$60 million in renewing its equipment in 2004. 
42. Electricity rates are fixed in a presidential d ecree and there are two levels of consumption.23 
Low voltage consumption is billed in accordance wi th one of the eight rates fixed (Table IV.3).24  The 
rates have recently been increased by some 20 pe r cent because of the rise in the price of 
hydrocarbons, freight and insurance.  The price of a kWh is DF 24 for prepaid meters (code 21), 
whose power is restricted to 1 kVA and DF 41 fo r ordinary prepaid meters (code 22), whose power 
exceeding 1 kVA is restricted as a result of the way the meters are assembled or regulated.  Medium 
voltage rates are determined according to use (Table IV.3).25 Bakeries producing "common bread" are 
given a special low voltage rate of DF 49/kWh.26  A monthly charge, determined per kWh contracted, 
must also be paid by subscribers (Table IV.3 ).  According to the Diagnostic Study under the 
Integrated Framework, rates can be up to 50 per cen t above those applicable in Ethiopia.  This high 
cost has a negative impact on the competitiveness of Djibouti’s products. 
Table IV.3 
Electricity rates, August 2005 (a) Low voltage 
(In Djibouti francs) 
Type of rate First bracket Second bracket Monthly standing charge 
Social (Code 1) 32 60 421 
Residential (Code 2) 49 46 Ranges from  736 to 1,156, depending on the power 
subscribed (3-36 kVA) 
General (Code 3) 62 62 468 if the power subscribed is  36 kVA or lower, or 51 if 
it exceeds 36 kVAa 
Special "common bread"  (Code 4) 49 49 1,176 
Degressive (Code 5) 61 52 401 if the power subscribed is lower than 8 kVA, or 
1,470 if it exceeds 8 kVA 
For districts in the interior (Code 7) 46 46 417 if the power subscribed is lower than 36 kVa, and 
45 if it exceeds 36 kVA 
Public lighting (Code 8) 49 49 n.a. 
Building sites (Code 9) 62 62 6,000 for each 18 kVA 
n.a. Not applicable. 
a The amount of the standing charge is DF 62 per kW per month for clients with a power meter. 
                                                      
22 The ONED has not cleared its bills for six years an d the CERD for 10 years.  The ONED’s debt to 
the EDD is estimated to be US$14 million. 
23 Order No. 2005-0486/PR/MERN of 31 August 2005. 
24 These are as follows:  (i) social rate or code  1 for any household dwellin g, amounting to 1 kVA in 
the district of Djibouti;  (ii) residential rate or code 2 for use in any family dwelling in the district of Djibouti; 
(iii) general rate or code 3 for any use with the exce ption of consumption in family dwellings and public 
lighting;  (iv) for bakeries producing "common bread;  (v) degressive rate or code 5 for any use with the 
exception of consumption in family dwellings or public lighting in the districts of Djibouti, Arta, Oueah and Damerjog;  (vi) public lighting rate or code 8 for public lighting in the districts of Djibouti, Arta, Oueah and 
Damerjog;  (vii) low voltage rate or code 7 for any use in the districts of Ali-Sabieh, Dikhil, Mouloud, Obock 
and Tadjourah;  and (viii) code 9 for use on building sites. 
25 Medium voltage is for all uses other than family dwellings. 
26 Decree No. 2004-0229/PR/MERN of 20 December 2004 amending the se lling price of electricity to 
bakeries.  Between October 1997 and October 2002, a special rate, corresponding to 50 per cent of the general rate, was granted to the Djibouti Sheraton hotel, pursuant to Decree No. 97-0140/PRE/97 of 8 October 1997. Djibouti WT/TPR/S/159 
 Page 57 
 
 
(b) Medium voltage 
(In Djibouti francs) 
Rate General Industriala  
 Djibouti, Arta, 
Oueah and 
Damerjog Ali-Sabieh, Dikhil, 
Mouloud, Obock 
and Tadjourah  
First bracket 43 56 30 
Second bracket  35 47 34 
Monthly standing charge      
First bracket (0 to 500 KW) 1,494 1,494 1,494 
Second bracket (500 to 900 KW) 1,419 1,419 1,419 
Third bracket (901 to 1,300 KW) 1,345 1,345 1,345 
Fourth bracket (over 1,300 KW) 1,270 1,270 1,270 
a Rate granted solely to large customers in the following cate gories:  hotel industries (over 100 rooms);  processing industrie s 
whose production is intended for export;  and agro-f ood industries producing staple goods, and fisheries. 
Source : Order No. 2005-0486/PR/MERN of 31 August 2005. 
43. The TIC on electricity is 33 per cent.  The EDD is given exemption from surcharges on 
purchases of petroleum products (heavy fuel oil, di esel fuel and lubricants) used to generate 
electricity.27  These fuels accounted for 28 per cent of the EDD’s costs in 2004 (22 per cent in 2001) 
and are estimated to be 31 per cent of its costs in 2005. 
44. The Government is drawing up a programme to stabilize the EDD’s financial situation with a 
view to its potential privatization. 
(c) Petroleum products 45. Djibouti has neither petroleum resources nor a re finery.  All petroleum products are imported. 
In 2002, the consumption of refined petroleum products was 127,808 litres, imported from the Middle 
East.  The Ministry responsible for energy regulates the subsector. 
46. The public limited company, Société internationale des hydrocarbures de Djibouti  (Djibouti 
International Hydrocarbons Company) (SIHD), a St ate-owned enterprise, and two other companies 
(Shell and Total) should share the import market a nd, where applicable, the export, exploitation, 
processing, storage and marketing of hydrocarbons and their by-products.
28  As at October 2005, 
however, the SIHD had not really started to operate. 
47. The TIC on petroleum products is 30 per cen t.  A surcharge and a tax also apply 
(Chapter III(2)(iv)(c)).  Since 2003, kerosene for hou sehold use has been exempt from the surcharge 
and the tax on petroleum products.29  Up to 1999, a presidential decree determined the price at the 
pump.  Since then, the price struct ure has been drawn up by the Mini stry of Finance and is discussed 
with the private operators.  In October 2005, pr ices at the pump were DF 231/litre for premium 
gasoline, DF 143/litre for diesel fuel and DF 125/litre for petroleum.  The Ministry responsible for the 
economy sets a maximum price for kerosene, th e sale of which is regulated by Decree 
No. 2005-0060/PRE of 28 April 2005. 
                                                      
27 Order No. 2000-0030/PR/MEFP of 13 January 2000 giving exemption from surcharges on petroleum 
products intended for the generation of electricity. 
28 Law No. 65/AN/99/4èmeL of 13 January 2000 establishing the SIHD, and Decree No. 2000-
0029/PR/MERN of 3 February 2000. 
29 Decree No. 2003-0114/PR/MEFPCP of 25 June 2003. WT/TPR/S/159 Trade Policy Review 
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(4) MANUFACTURING  
48. Djibouti’s manufacturing sector is in its very early stages.  In 1988, it employed 
15,302 people and its contribution to real GDP was estimated to be 3 per cent in 2004.30  Exports of 
manufactures are still marginal.  The agro-food industry is little devel oped and produces for the 
domestic market.  The leading enterprises in this sector are the following:  the Société Coubeche , 
which manufactures non-alcoholic beverages;  the Compagnie des gaz de la Mer rouge ;  and 
COSMEZZ  in the area of building and public works. 
49. Development of the manufacturing sector is hindere d by shortcomings at the fiscal, legal and 
judicial levels (Chapter II), difficulty in obtaining access to financing, the cost of which is extremely 
high, inadequacies in the infrastructure and in the supply of basic services (telecommunications, 
water, electricity and transport), despite the very high rates charged, and the small size of the domestic market.  Moreover, neither the structure nor the hi gh level of fiscal pressure are likely to encourage 
manufacturing.  This explains the predominance of the informal sector, dominated by small-scale 
trade. 
50. The Government’s strategic objectives for the manufacturing sector are as follows:  
(i) through education and training, to develop the culture and industrial and commercial competence 
needed to promote Djibouti as a place suitable for de localization and international trade;  (ii) to 
identify and develop catalytic industries, particular ly those based on Djibouti’s own resources such as 
agro-industry (with a view to exporting fish produ cts and meat after conservation, packaging and 
processing), salt, building materials and mining;  (iii) to grant more attractive incentives for 
investment outside urban areas so as to delocalize investment and to prepare start-up facilities for 
entrepreneurs, especially small and medium-sized en terprises and women;  and (iv) to strengthen the 
Chamber of Commerce so that it can play to the fu ll its role as a special partner and interface between 
government authorities and private promoters.
31 
51. As regards handicrafts and their integration into  the formal sector, the Government envisages 
the following:  (i) to complete the inventory of handicrafts activities carried on in Djibouti and to 
adopt a status for handicrafts enterprises;  (ii) to  continue identifying viable handicrafts projects; 
(iii) to develop information, awareness, guidan ce and technical and financial assistance programmes, 
as well as the training of young people and craftsmen;  and (iv) to review and study the possibility of 
implementing the project to build a pilot village for handicrafts activities.32  For this purpose, the 
Ministry of Trade is preparing a project for a na tional strategy to suppor t and develop handicrafts 
activities, with the following strategic objectives:  to make the subsector a dynamic catalyst for 
Djibouti’s economy and to put in place a support a nd development process that provides a practical 
response to needs. 
52. In order to develop the Ali-Sabieh region, th e Government is implementing industrialization 
projects.  The Ali-Sabieh cement works, financed  through a US$10 million loan from an Indian bank, 
was being built and was due to start operati ng at the end of 2005.  The marble works ( Compagnie 
nouvelle de commerce ), has been producing artificial stone since July 2005.  It is also planned to set 
up a mineral water production company in Ali-Sabieh.33 
53. The average TIC is 28.6 per cent in the manufacturing sector, with rates ranging from 8 to 
33 per cent. 
                                                      
30 Salt mining included. 
31 Law No. 149/AN/02/4èmeL of 31 January 2002. 
32 Idem. 
33 Laws No. 34/AN/03/5èmeL, 33/AN/03/5èmeL and 32/AN/03/5èmeL of 19 November 2003. Djibouti WT/TPR/S/159 
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(5) SERVICES  
54. In 2003, services accounted for over 80 per cent of Djibouti’s real GDP. The most important 
subsectors are transport and communications (24 per cent of GDP), non-market services (19 per cent of GDP), trade and tourism (14 per cent of GDP) and banking and insurance (12 per cent of GDP). 
The supply of services is still largely a State monopoly of State-owned enterprises. 
55. Djibouti’s commitments under the General Ag reement on Trade in Services (GATS) are 
restricted to the following: postal and courier services; hotel and restaurant services (hotels and 
restaurants, recreational, cultural and sporti ng services in underwater diving centres); and some 
telecommunications services.
34 
(i) Financial services 
56. Djibouti did not undertake any commitments  on financial services under the GATS.  The 
principal financial services offered in Djibouti ar e banking, insurance and 11 exchange and transfer 
bureaux ("manual exchange"). 
(a) Banking 57. Djibouti’s banking system comprises the Central Bank of Djibouti (BCD), and two 
commercial banks:  the Banque Indosuez Mer Rouge  (BIMR), a subsidiary of the Crédit agricole  
(present in Djibouti since 1908), and the Banque pour le Commerce et l'Industrie - Mer Rouge  
(BCIMR).  These two banks dominate the market with over 95 per cent of deposits from customers and 80 per cent of total domestic lending.  The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) ceased its 
activities in February 2004.
35  State participation in banking is  limited to the 33 per cent of the 
BCIMR’s shares it holds.36  Loans are generally for the short term and mainly intended for trade; 
individuals;  industry and energy;  the State;  build ing and public works;  and hotels and restaurants. 
58. In order to set up as a bank, engage in banki ng activities and open offices in Djibouti, any 
establishment must be approved by the BCD.  The latter takes a decision within a maximum of six months after receiving the application.
37  The bank must have a standb y refinancing arrangement in 
foreign currency with a bank of international standing.38  However, the obligation that a loan 
establishment should hold 30 per cent of a bank’s capital was repealed by Article 34 of a new law.39 
Since 2000, the minimum capital necessary is DF  300 million for all banking and financial 
establishments or for the subsidiaries or branches of  banking establishments with headquarters abroad.  
This amount increases to DF 1 billion for banki ng establishments whose balance sheet is over 
DF 20 billion after two consecutive financial years.   These requirements apply to both foreign and 
Djiboutian banking establishments. 
                                                      
34 WTO document GATS/SC/104 of 30 August 1995. 
35 Central Bank of Djibouti (2004c). 
36 The remainder of the shares are held by BNP France (51 per cent) and Yemen Bank (16 per cent). 
37 Any loan establishment must, within the month following approval, join the Association 
professionnelle des établissements de crédits de Djibouti (Djibouti Professional Association of Loan 
Establishments).  
38 Law No. 93/AN/00/4èmeL of 10 July 2000 on the opening, activities and control of loan 
establishments. 
39 Law No. 92/AN/05/5èmeL of 16 January 2005 on the opening, activities and control of loan 
establishments. WT/TPR/S/159 Trade Policy Review 
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59. Mergers or takeovers require approval from the BCD, regardless of whether Djiboutian 
nationals or foreigners are involved.40  Since 2000, however, the BCD has not approved any merger or 
takeover.  Loan establishments must be set up in the form of a public limited company or a 
cooperative company under Djiboutian law.  The ma nagement of a bank or financial establishment 
must be in the hands of a person resident in Dji bouti, in other words, a natural person whose domicile 
is Djibouti, or a legal person whose place of re gistration or the place in which it carries out its 
activities is in Djibouti.  There are no specific requirements as to nationality. 
60. Currently, debit and credit interest rates are freely determined by the commercial banks 
(Table IV.4).  Prudential regulations applicable to banks and financial in stitutions are shown in 
Table IV.5.  According to the authorities, on the whole the prudential rules are properly observed. 
Djibouti does not apparently have an y exchange restrictions (Chapter I(1)).  Pursuant to the new law 
of 2005, loan establishments must have an anti-m oney-laundering mechanism in the form defined by 
the BCD. 
Table IV.4 
Average interest rate on loansa, 2001, 2002 and 2004 
(Percentage) 
 Rate  
(3rd quarter 2004) 
 Annual rate 2001 Annual rate 2002 
Minimum Maximum 
Individuals      
Cash credits      
Overdrafts 15.61 14.55 16.10 17.00 
Personal loans 14.84 14.68 12.90 14.98 
Real estate loans 11.71 12.19 9.00 12.19 
Enterprises      
Discount     
Less than DF 10 milli on 13.95 12.00 10.20 10.20 
Overdrafts      
Less than DF 10 milli on 12.12 11.55 10.77 11.92 
From DF 10 to 50 million 11.99 10.84 8.50 9.97 
From DF 50 to 200 m illion 11.40 10.16 6.20 9.22 
Over DF 200 million 10.88 9.54 8.46 8.46 
Other short-term credit      
Less than DF 10 milli on 13.29 11.53 12.64 14.09 
From DF 10 to 50 million 12.87 10.90 9.62 13.62 
From DF 50 to 200 m illion 11.46 9.30 7.24 7.24 
Over DF 200 million 12.00 9.30 6.10 10.00 
Medium and long term      
Less than DF 10 milli on 12.18 11.49 8.66 13.62 
From DF 10 to 50 million 12.20 11.00 7.25 13.60 
From DF 50 to 200 million 11.15 9.22 .. .. 
Over DF 200 million 10.50 8.80 7.00 7.00 
a Credit interest rates (in deposits and cash bonds) range from 0.5 to 1.39 per cent. 
.. Not available. Source : Central Bank of Djibouti (2002), Annual Report 2002 .  
 
                                                      
40 Approval of the BCD is required for other operations involving substantial changes in the initial 
conditions of approval. These include, inter alia : any change leading to a reduction of the equity or capital 
funding; any significant change in the capital structure; any change in activities likely to lead to a change in the category of the financial establishment; and any sale of part of the shares amounting to 10 per cent or more. Djibouti WT/TPR/S/159 
 Page 61 
 
 
Table IV.5 
Prudential ratios, 2005 
Ratios Requirements 
Net own funds Positive net own funds required. 
Minimum capital representation Depending on the size of the esta blishment, the real represen tation of the capital in the 
assets on the balance sheet must exceed the lia bilities to third parties by DF 300 million or 
DF 1 billion. 
Solvency In comparison with overall risks, the amount  of net own funds must exceed a ratio of 5 per 
cent. The BCD, nevertheless, insists that this  ratio should not be less than 8 per cent. 
Limit on capital participation Participati on in the capital of companies, other th an that used for the operation of the 
establishment, is limited to  20 per cent of the capital. 
Cover of fixed assets by long-term 
resources Long-term resources must cover all fixed assets. 
Limitation on individual risks The total loans given to a singl e borrower may not exceed 50 per cent of the net own funds 
of the lender. 
Global cover of large individual risks The total of individual ri sks, each exceeding 15 per cent of net own funds, must not exc eed 
ten times the amount of these same net own funds. 
Cover of deposits in foreign currency Deposits in foreign currenc y must be covered by liabilities in foreign currency equivalen t 
to the amount, type of currency and rate. 
Cover of inter-bank credits and loans for over two years Loans for over two years may not exceed an am ount equivalent to or double the primary 
capital. 
Cover of deposits in DF Assets in foreign currency held by loan establishments must be in proportion to deposits by 
customers in DF. 
Additional regulations monitored by the 
BCD  
Performance ratio Net profits/total net own funds. 
Net profits/total balance sheet. Average cost of deposits/average profitability of loans (customers and all transactions). 
Customer portfolio Trends in deposits and loans (by depos itors, by type of deposit or loan, by type of foreign 
currency, and according to the term of the loan). 
Cover of compromised, bad or irrecoverable risks by provisions. 
Internal audit of loan estab lishments Quality of the organi zation and internal procedures. 
Observance of the limits set in  terms of risk and accuracy of accounting data, management 
control. 
Source : Information provided by the Djibouti authorities.  
(b) Insurance41 
61. The average annual turnover in the insurance market is DF 1 billion, corresponding to 0.9 per 
cent of GDP.  Insurance services provide some 50 j obs and there are three commercial companies: the 
GXA and the AMERGA (100 per cent private) and th e Ethiopian Insurance Corporation (currently 
being liquidated).  These companies offer the usua l range of insurance services (life, health and 
property) and, pursuant to Djibouti’s regulations, th ey specialize in life or non-life insurance.  All 
insurance companies must have a reinsurance progr amme.  In July 2002, a national insurance and 
reinsurance office of the COMESA’s PTA-RE was set up in Djibouti (Chapter II(5)(ii)(a));  this office 
groups the GXA and AMERGA insurers.  Since 2001, overall performance in the insurance market 
has shown a surplus. 
62. Pursuant to the 1999 law on insurance activities, two types of insurance are compulsory:  one 
on imported goods of an f.o.b. value exceeding DF  500,000;  and the other on motor-driven land 
vehicles, their trailers and semi-trailers.42  An insurance control unit (in the Ministry of Finance (MF)) 
                                                      
41 Law No. 40/AN/99/èmeL of 8 June 1999 and Decree No. 2000-0203/PR/MEFPCP of 20 July 2000. 
42 Book III of Law No. 40/AN/99/4èmeL of 8 June 1999. WT/TPR/S/159 Trade Policy Review 
Page 62 
 
 
is the regulatory authority for this sector.43  All requests for approval must be sent to the MF, which 
transmits them to the insurance control unit.  The MF submits draft decrees to the Council of 
Ministers on the approval of new companies. 
63. The registered capital of insurance companies must be at least DF 100 million (not counting 
contributions in kind) and at least half of the cap ital must be held by natu ral or legal persons of 
Djiboutian nationality.  Natural or legal persons and risks situated in  Djibouti may be covered by non-
resident companies, subject to approval by the competent authority. Reside nt companies may insure 
non-residents.  They may not, however, insure risk s situated abroad without a waiver granted on a 
case-by-case basis and only for large risks. 
64. Insurance premiums are proposed by each insu rance company, which submits them to the 
insurance control unit for approval, toge ther with the supporting documentation. 
(ii) Telecommunications and postal services 
65. Under the GATS, Djibouti undertook not to main tain any restrictions on market access or 
national treatment for cross-border supply (mode 1)  and consumption abroad (mode 2) for postal and 
courier services.  In the case of telecommunications services, commitments are limited to one or two 
modes of supply for electronic messenger services, el ectronic mail with automatic translation, video-
conferencing, audiographic teleconferencing, te lemarketing, telex message communication services 
and the sale of terminals.  More substantially, Djibouti bound without limitations measures affecting 
cross-border supply, consumption abroad and comme rcial presence for protocol conversion services, 
communication systems engineering and TVRO antennas.44 
(a) Telecommunications 
66. In October 1999, the national teleco mmunications activities of the former Office des postes et 
télécommunications  (National Post and Telecommunications Board) (OPT) were merged with the 
international activities of the Société des télécommunications internationales de Djibouti  (Djibouti 
International Telecommunications Company) (STID) (T able III.4) and led to the creation of the public 
limited company Djibouti Télécom  (DT), the only telecommunications operator (fixed and mobile 
telephony) in Djibouti.45  The registered capital of DT is DF 4 billion, which is wholly held by the 
State. Since November 2003, DT has been under going a transitional reorga nization period under the 
supervision of a team of interna tional consultants with a view to making it ready for privatization. 
Among the main objectives sought are an improvement in the quality of its services, modernization of 
its range of products and better management. 
67. In 2004, Djibouti had 10,982 fixed telephone lin es (of which 90 per cent were in the city of 
Djibouti), corresponding to a teledensity of 1.54 (com pared with 2.6 on average for Africa).  Djibouti 
has two land stations and three optical fibre submarine cables (SMW) linking Asia to the Middle East and Europe.  Mobile telephony has grown phenomenally.  Since the granting of the licence for mobile 
telephony to DT in 1996, the number of subscribers has risen from 100 to almost 33,937 in 2004 (i.e., 
4.95 subscribers per 100 inhabitants) (Table IV.6).   DT’s cumulative net profits for the period 2000-
2004 were DF 4.3 billion.
46 
                                                      
43 Law No. 40/AN/99/4 èmeL and Decrees No. 2000-0203/PR/MEFPCP and 
No. 2000-0204/PR/MEFPCP of 20 July 2000. 
44 WTO document GATS/SC/104 of 30 August 1995. 
45 Law No. 13/AN/98/4 èmeL of 11 March 1998.  DT made a net profit of DF 1,598 million in 2002, 
representing an increase of 136 per cent in comparison with 2001. 
46 Decree No. 2005-0046/PR/MEFPP of 19 March 2005. Djibouti WT/TPR/S/159 
 Page 63 
 
 
68. The Government’s strategic objectives in the telecommunications sector are the following: 
(i) to develop and promote telecommunications servi ces and new information technology products at 
the local, regional and international levels;  (ii) to  implement and ensure e xploitation and maintenance 
of a reliable mobile telephony networ k and arrange for its ex tension to the major road networks and to 
districts in the interior;  (iii) to promote access and a steady and significant increase in the number of 
subscribers to fixed and mobile telephony services and the Internet;  (iv) to install and start operating 
the EASSY submarine cable (from Sudan to South Afri ca) and to market available surplus capacity on 
the Sea-Me-We 3 submarine cable;  and (v) to reha bilitate and renovate the telephone network in the 
interior (Dikhil, Tadjourah and Obock) by insta lling digital radio relay systems and public telephones 
in villages and rural centres.47 
Table IV.6 
Telecommunications: basic indicators, 1996-2004 
 1996 1997 1998 2001 2002 2003 2004 
Number of subscribers .. .. .. 12 900 25 100 33 200 .. 
Number of lines per 100 inhabitants 1.39 1.39 1.30 1.54 1.54 1.52 1.60 
Number of lines  8,200 8,300 7,900 9,900 10,100 10,200 10,982 
Cellular telephone subscribers  100 200 200 3,000 15,000 23,000 33,937 
Cellular telephone subscribers (per 
100 inhabitants) .. .. .. 0.47 2.29 3.43 4.95 
Outgoing international traffic 
(thousands of minutes) 4,835 4,652 4,678 .. 5,498 6,104 7,000 
Incoming international traffic 
(thousands of minutes) 6,327 6,912 5,785 .. 15,207 14,700 17,763 
Revenue (US$ millions) 20.6 20.2 20.7 25.9 33.8 33.8 32.8 
Annual investment (US$ thousands ) 2,161 2,088 2,110 7,631 2,688 2,591 8,384 
Number of Internet users .. .. .. 1,100 1,536 2,173 3,001 
.. Not available. 
Source : ITU (2001), African Telecommunications Indicators ; and information provided by  the Djibouti authorities.  
69. In order to do this, the authorities are planning, inter alia :  (i) to define a legal framework for 
telecommunications activities by adopting a regulatory law;  (ii) to set up an independent regulatory 
body and a technical unit responsible for approving sp ectrum equipment;  (iii) to define the strategy 
and terms for privatizing DT and to move ahead wi th the privatization operation by selecting a single 
strategic partner through an intern ational bidding procedure;   and (iv) to establish a fiscal framework 
to promote the development of telecommunications.  Specifically, Law No. 80/AN/04/5èmeL of 
24 October 2004 on telecommunications reform has been  adopted.  The Ministry of Communications 
and Culture is the supervisory body of Djibouti Télécom S.A.  and draws up national 
telecommunications policy.  The Law provides for th e creation of an agency to regulate information 
and communications technologies (ADRT), but this has not yet been done. 
70. According to the authorities, the ADRT will st art to operate in 2006-2007.  A "universal 
access fund" has been established but the decree defini ng the origin of its resources has not yet been 
adopted.  Policies and priorities for universal access will be determined in a decree that will define the 
following:  (i) the services concerned;  (ii) the level and minimum quality of the service;  (iii) rules determining the cost of universal access to service s and mechanisms for contributions by operators; 
                                                     
 
47 Law No. 149/AN/02/4èmeL of 31 January 2002 on economic and social policy for the period 2001-
2010. WT/TPR/S/159 Trade Policy Review 
Page 64 
 
 
and (iv) provisions on compensation for universal access obligations.48  A national 
telecommunications strategy, amounting to a tota l of DF 13 billion, has recently been adopted.49 
71. The rates for telecommunications services are de termined by the Council of Ministers on the 
basis of a proposal by DT.  New rates were set on 1 March 2003.  The cost of local and interurban 
calls was lowered from DF 35 to DF 15;  the cost of  international calls was also lowered in varying 
proportions depending on the destination (over 30 per cent for Europe, 110 per cent for the United 
States and Canada and some 9 per cen t for countries neighbouring Djibouti).50  Another 22 per cent 
reduction in rates (average weighted by the traffic) took place in December 2004. 
(b) Postal services51 
72. Poste de Djibouti (Djibouti Post) (PD) is a public limited company that came into being 
following the separation, in 1999, of the activities previously carried out by the OPT.  Its initial 
capital was set at DF 1 billion, entirely held by the State.  The Ministry of Communications and Culture, responsible for postal and telecommunications  services, is the supervisory authority.  As an 
exceptional measure, the State will take over the PD’s total debt of DF 107,225,007, representing 
payments arrears for 1999 to 2002 owed to supp liers, service providers, the authorities and foreign 
partners.
52  The company receives a subsidy from the St ate and is currently being restructured. 
73. The PD’s main activities are:  issuing postage stamps and all franking marks;  all activities 
relating to the State monopoly of postal matters, at th e national and internationa l levels;  and receiving 
savings from the public.53  Decree No. 99/PR/MCC provides that, subject to authorization by the 
competent government authority, the following are open to competition: collection, transport and 
distribution of articles and goods governed by the provisions of the Universal Postal Union’s 
Convention, provided that these are in the form of accelerated international mail services.  The issue 
of postage stamps and all franking marks is not open to competition. 
74. The Government’s strategic objectives as regards postal services are the following:  (i) to 
undertake in-depth restructuring and modernization th at will include the drafting of a law to regulate 
activities (adapted to the needs of the services  economy), the introduction of a downsizing policy 
(accompanied by a redundancy programme), and re organization of administrative and financial 
management, together with the introduction of ongo ing quality control;  (ii) to strengthen, securitize 
and computerize the service issuing postal orders and rapid courier services;  (iii) to create new 
services, in particular, financial services such as the national savings bank, the money order centre, 
electronic messenger services, foreign currency exch ange, and the sale of packages;  and (iv) to 
extend the coverage of postal services by opening offi ces in the port and near the airport, and creating 
a rural motorized post office to serve rural areas in the south and north.54 
(iii) Transport 
75. The share of transport, in particular port ser vices, in GDP is some 30 per cent and it has 
grown steadily for 20 years (some 10 per cent in the 1980s).  The importance of transport services for 
                                                      
 48 Article 54 of Law No. 80/AN/04/5èmeL of 24 October 2004. 
 49 DF 5 billion have already been used to install cables through Djibouti.  
 50 Decree No. 2003-0031/PR/MCC of 27 February 2003. 
 51 Law No. 13/AN/98/4èmeL of 11 March 1998 and Decree No. 99-0169/PR/MCC of 
16 September 1999. 
52 Order No. 2003-0275/PR/MCCPT of 3 April 2003. 
 53 PD is empowered to open sight or term deposit acco unts in the name of any natural or legal person. 
 54 Law No. 149/AN/02/4èmeL of 31 January 2002.  Djibouti WT/TPR/S/159 
 Page 65 
 
 
the economy can be explained above a ll by Djibouti’s geostrategic situ ation at the crossroads of major 
sea and land routes for international trade (particularly for east Africa). 
76. In order to ensure that the transport system is  competitive and efficient and to make Djibouti a 
major multimodal site at the regional level, the Government’s global strategy is aimed at the 
following:  (i) adopting an institutional framework to  refocus the State’s role  and responsibilities, as 
well as those of other actors in the transport chain;  (ii) systematic endeavours to privatize transport 
activities and services of an industrial or commercia l nature that are usually part of competitive 
production systems belonging to the private sector;  ( iii) at the regional level, adopting a framework of 
agreements to harmonize operational, regulatory, procedural and documentary provisions throughout 
the transport chain;  and (iv) giving officials in the central transport administration, managers of 
public institutions and private economic  operators access to training in international transport logistics 
and engineering, and multimodal transport and ancillary activities.55 
(a) Maritime transport 77. Djibouti International Autonomous Port (PAID)  has an annual capacity of over 10 million 
tonnes, an industrial and commercial zone covering  17 hectares situated in Saline West, and a free 
zone of 14 hectares in operation since June 2004.  It has 15 secure and well-equipped wharfs.  Since 
1999, the PAID has handled an average of 4 million t onnes a year, a figure that is three times that of 
the 1980s.  In 2003, the PAID handled 6 million tonnes,  70 per cent on behalf of Ethiopia.  The PAID 
gives priority to berthing ships transporting g oods for Ethiopia.  There is no maritime passenger 
traffic.  Djibouti does not have a merchant fleet. 
78. The PAID has 1,143 employees and 3,000 dockers.
56  It is situated at the gateway to the Red 
Sea and on the sea routes leading from Asia to Eur ope, and is also backed by a large African 
hinterland (a strategic position).  Its deep-water port plays an essential role in the country’s development.  The PAID also has a subregional role  and in 2003 almost 70 per cent of traffic in the 
port was for Ethiopia.  Since 2000, the Ethiopian customs has had an office within the port of Djibouti in order to carry out formalities for goods in transit to Ethiopia.  In addition, more favourable terms, 
for length of storage and rates, are granted to Ethiop ians for operations in the port of Djibouti.  Since 
2000, Ethiopian Shipping Lines (MTSE) has had a monopoly of transport of goods coming from or 
going to Ethiopia, including those transiting through Djibouti.
57 
79. Traffic in the port stagnated for a long time but has increased sharply since 1999 following 
the rapid development of Ethiopian imports goi ng through Djibouti (including food aid), but 
nevertheless remains well below the volumes handled  in the majority of competitor ports in the 
subregion (Table IV.7).  In 1998, following the wa r in Eritrea, all Ethiopia’s traffic went through 
Djibouti.58  Between 1999 and 2003, traffic rose by 48.5 per cent.59  Since 1999 there has been a sharp 
increase in transhipment (over 100 per cent), notably due to the return of the Pacific International 
Lines (PIL) to the port of Djibouti rather than the port of Aden in Yemen.  In October 2003, the PIL 
once again transferred its activities to Aden.  Nevert heless, there is growing congestion in the PAID.60 
                                                      
 55 Law No. 149/AN/02/4èmeL of 31 January 2002. 
 56 Available at: http://www.djiboutiport.com/ [14 June 2005]. 
 57 With the exception of goods from  the United States and food aid. 
 58 Law No. 197/AN/02/4èmeL of 29 December 2002 ratifying the ag reement on the use of the PAID and 
transit of goods for Ethiopia.  
59 The main products exported through the PAID ar e coffee, cereals and textile fibres. Up to 1996, 
transit traffic for Ethiopia was marginal, less than 150,000 tonnes (excluding hydrocarbons). 
 60 The customs services only work eight hours a day, whereas the port operates 24 hours a day. 
Integrated Framework, Diagnostic Trade Integration Study, March 2004. WT/TPR/S/159 Trade Policy Review 
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The problems of maritime transport services, incl uding port services, are essentially caused by weak 
management by the State and the absence of a cl ear-cut policy on development of the various modes 
of transport.61 
Table IV.7 
Trend in port activities, 1999-2003 
(Metric tonnes) 
 1999  2000 2001 2002 2003  
Ethiopian transit 1,777,210 1,917,805 1,960,284 1,912,284 2,932,640 
Transhipment 390,920 367,529 538,707 788,334 1,133,639 
Local imports  311,422 381,633 288,268 274,814 356,998 
Local exports 65,903 8,064 3,990 334 4,173 
Hydrocarbons 1,225,586 1,235,989 1,337,026 1,428,232 1,442,631 
Other a 107,332 115,898 71,216 144,011 101,554 
Total 3,878,373 4,026,918 4,199,491 4,548,353 5,967,462 
Trend in goods traffic entering the port 
Dry goods 2,038,065 2,233,412 2,228,977 2,126,618 3,457,719 
 Local imports 311,422 381,633 288,268 274,481 352,825 
 Transit 1,575,543 1,723,040 1,739,981 1,537,878 2,593,751 
 Transhipment 151,100 128,739 200,729 314,260 510,633 
Hydrocarbons 1,214,129 1,223,230 1,334,174 1,428,232 1,442,556 
Total 3,252,194 3,456,642 3,563,151 3,554,850 4,900,274 
Trend in goods traffic leaving the port 
Dry goods 515,931 447,294 563,084 854,583 966,162 
 Local imports 65,903 8,064 3,990 334 4,173 
 Transit 210,209 200,440 221,115 380,175 338,889 
 Transhipment 239,820 238,790 337,979 474,075 623,006 
Hydrocarbons 11,457 12,759 2,852 0 75 
Bunkering and watering 98,790 110,222 70,404 138,920 100,950 
Total 626,178 570,275 636,340 993,503 1,067,187 
Trend in transit to Ethiopia  
Imports 1,567,729 1,717,372 1,739,366 1,532,788 2,593,751 
Hydrocarbons 1,031,476 1,080,089 1,173,923 1,184,333 1,237,531 
Exports 209,481 200,433 220,918 380,175 338,889 
Total 2,808,686 2,997,894 3,134,207 3,097,296 4,170,171 
a Covers water, bunkering and Somalian traffic. 
Source : Central Bank of Djibouti (2003), Annual Report 2003 .  
80. The majority of the PAID’s activities are carried  out by the private sector.  The container 
terminal belongs to the State, which is responsible  for unloading containers.  Handling of bulk goods, 
unloading and storage of hydrocarbons are carried out  by private operators.  For goods in transit to 
Ethiopia (an average of 100,000 containers each yea r), over 70 per cent of handling is carried out by 
the MTSE. 
81. Following the introduction of the new regulations in 2000, more than 40 forwarding agents 
have been approved by the Ministry of Planning an d Transport and may engage in transit activities. 
According to the authorities, the rates and fees are freely negotiated between the handling company 
and the ship owner.  The average cost of handlin g dry goods in the port (excluding hydrocarbons) is 
presently around US$18 per tonne, compared  with US$22 per tonne for containers. 
                                                      
 61 Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (January 2004).  Djibouti WT/TPR/S/159 
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82. In 2000, a concession agreement was signed with Dubai Ports International (DPI) for a period 
of 20 years (Chapter III(4)(iii)).  The development st rategy drawn up by the Government jointly with 
the DPI is aimed at the following:  (i) enhanci ng and increasing the efficiency and competitiveness of 
the port and its infrastructure;  (ii) providing the port with the infrastructure and material and human 
resources needed for the rapid handling of container sh ips, on the one hand, and, on the other, giving 
it substantial storage capacity;  (iii) reviewing th e organization of the port;  (iv) consolidating and 
strengthening Djibouti’s corridor for transit traffic to Ethiopia and northern Somalia;  (v) reinforcing 
and improving the port’s position on the regional transh ipment market;  (vi) establishing efficient and 
competitive logistics for the container terminals,  involving rail, road and a dry port;  and 
(vii) planning and creating a commercia l and port zone at the Doraleh site.62  This maritime transport 
development strategy, including port services, has been  reaffirmed in the PRSP, which also focused 
on the development of an important commercial free zone in order to make Djibouti a platform for 
trade between the Middle East and east and central Africa, its membership of COMESA and IGAD being an advantage in this respect (Chapter II(5)(ii)(a) and (e)). 
83. With the assistance of the DPI, Djibouti is building a port complex at the Doraleh site 
(7 kilometres from the current port).  The comple x will include an oil terminal (Horizon Djibouti 
International), a container terminal (2,000 linear metres), as well as an industrial and commercial free 
zone (700 hectares). Building of the oil terminal a nd hydrocarbons storage depots started in June 2003 
with an investment of around US$100 million, fina nced by the DPI and the Emirates National Oil 
Company.
63  The terminal will offer storage capacity of 220,000 m3, and will start to operate in 2007. 
The authorities estimate that inv estment in the container terminal  will be some US$300 million.  The 
building of the port at Doraleh would also allow the current port to specialize in handling bulk cargo.
64 
(b) Road transport 84. Djibouti’s road network is around 1,300 kilometr es, of which 25.3 per cent is sealed.  The 
majority of traffic is on the 220 km long internat ional road corridor from the port of Djibouti to 
Ethiopia.  Some 100,000 vehicles use it annually since Ethiopia’s traffic moved from Eritrea to 
Djibouti in 1998.  Road transport between Djibouti and Ethiopia is almost all by Ethiopian operators. 
85. Road transport faces a number of constraints,  including lack of financing and failure to 
maintain the network. In 1999, a road maintenance fund
65 was set up and started to  operate in 2000.  It 
is funded by a fee of US$1 per tonne paid by lorries leaving the port of Djibouti, but it has not 
achieved its objectives and the majority of its revenue  is taken up by the cost of labour and operating 
costs.  The poor state of the infrastructure and the la ndlocked situation of some districts in Djibouti is 
a constraint on the development of economic activitie s (high cost of transport, supply problems and 
the difficulty of developing local products);  this  reduces the competitiveness of local products, raises 
the cost of imports and limits Djibouti’s potentia l.  In addition, along the main route (Djibouti-
Addis Ababa), Djiboutians provide less than 1 per ce nt of road transport because of their lack of 
competitiveness as a result of relatively high wages and social contributions and the low level of 
productivity of labour and of skills.66 
86. The Government is planning to:  (i) promot e the competitiveness of national operators of 
international road transport services through fiscal  incentives and support for financial investment; 
                                                      
 62 Law No. 149/AN/02/4 èmeL of 31 January 2002. 
 63 Port of Djibouti (undated). 
 64 Information available at: http://doralefreez one.com/Services/Doraleh.htm [14 June 2005]. 
 65 Decree No. 99-0128/PR/MET of 14 August 1999. 
 66 Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (January 2004).  WT/TPR/S/159 Trade Policy Review 
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(ii) rehabilitate and strengthen the existing network by introduc ing a pluriannual programme for 
maintenance of the infrastructure and by building ne w road networks to alleviate the current burden 
and pressure on the Djibouti-Ethiopia corridor;  (iii) open up regions in the in terior by building new 
national roads in order to service the hinterland in  Tadjourah, Obock and Dikhil;  (iv) develop road 
transport of passengers with nei ghbouring countries;  and (v) devel op road transport of goods to 
Ethiopia and Somalia.67  The regulatory measures envisaged range from the introduction of a 
professional permit;  the establishment of periodic and regular controls, and of specifications;  control 
of new purchases of buses or taxis. 
87. The measures taken under this strategy include  the rehabilitation of the "Assa crossroads unit 
road" at Tadjourah (RN 9) in 2005 (financed by the Kuwaiti Arab Economic Development Fund);  the 
"Tadjouak unit road" at Obock (RN 14);  and the so uthern international corridor (RN 1-5-19) at the 
Arta crossroads at Guelile (finan ced by the EU) between 2006 and 2008. 
(c) Air transport 88. Djibouti has three airports, the main one being at Ambouli (Djibouti International Airport).  
In June 2002, a management contract for the D jibouti International Airport (AID) was signed with 
Dubai Ports International for a period of 20 years.
68  Some ground services such as supplying fuel and 
food are provided by private enterprises.  The AI D is responsible for handling.  The number of 
passengers using the airport (departures, arrivals  and transit) varies betw een 120,000 and 160,000 
depending on the year.  Military flights have increased considerably  with the presence of the "Control 
Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa" in Djibou ti, accounting for 60 per cent of the traffic. 
89. Currently, the following airlines, inter alia , fly to Djibouti:  Air France, Eritrean Airways, 
Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, Yemenia Air lines, Djibouti Airlines and Daallo Airlines, a 
private Djiboutian company.  Traffic rights are gove rned by bilateral agreements, covering a single 
route, between Djibouti and the countries to which the companies belong.  Certain foreign companies 
have cabotage rights (Eritrean Airways, Ethiopian Ai rlines and Yemenia Airlines).  There is also an 
agreement within the COMESA framework intende d to replace the bilateral agreements among 
member countries and to liberalize the subsector;  for the moment, only Uganda grants fifth freedom 
rights.  Djibouti has also signed an air traffic agreement with Switzerland.69  It has signed the 
Yamoussoukro Agreements.  In January 2001, ope n skies were provided under the decree on the 
AID.70 
90. The principal measures outlined in the PRSP for air transport include the following: 
(i) implementation of an open skies policy and el imination of all restri ctions on frequency and 
coverage so as to lower prices and encourage the de velopment of regional and international air traffic 
to and from Djibouti;  (ii) giving the Djiboutian corridor an important role in transit from the 
landlocked countries of the African Great Lakes re gion by developing sea-air transhipment through 
the creation of an airport commercial free z one, and improving logistics and services;  and 
(iii) continuing to invest in modernizing th e airport and improving equipment maintenance. 
(d) Rail transport 91. The railway (CDE) linking Djibouti to Addis Ababa is an unelectrified network of 
781 kilometres, of which some 100 kilometres are in Djiboutian territory.  The CDE is jointly 
                                                     
 
 67 Law No. 149/AN/02/4 èmeL of 31 January 2002. 
 68 Decree No. 2003-0041/PR/MET of 17 March 2003. 
 69 Law No. 68/AN/00/4 èmeL of 1 February 2000. 
 70 Decree No. 2001-0004/PR/MET of 8 January 2001.  Djibouti WT/TPR/S/159 
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managed by the two countries and employs around 2,600 people.  The CDE’s rolling stock is 
generally in a very poor state.71  In 1985-86, traffic was 350,000 tonnes and there were over 1 million 
passengers, but these figures fell to 140,000 tonnes a nd 81,000 passengers in 2002, meaning a drop of 
some 150 and 1,100 per cent, respectively.  This reduction is mainly caused by the fall in Ethiopian 
imports, but also by competition from road traffic and the obsolescence of the network.  Currently, the 
CDE only carries 5.5 per cent of the transit traffic to Ethiopia.  In 2004, 80,000 tonnes of goods and 25,000 passengers were carried.  The cost of freight  and passenger tickets are determined by the CDE. 
92. The Government’s global strategy in the subsector  is:  (i) to develop rail transport of heavy 
goods for Ethiopian transit and for trade between Ethiopia and Djibouti (petroleum products, cereals, 
cement, fertilizer, salt and scrap metal);  (ii) togeth er with the Ethiopian authorities, to complete the 
reforms that will give the CDE a new institutional fr amework tailored to the objective of privatizing 
its management;  (iii) to implement an urgent pr ogramme to upgrade the rail infrastructure and the 
safety equipment and to renew the existing equipment;  (iv) to improve services and traffic;  and (v) to 
promote rail transport’s share of container traffic.
72 
93. In 1995, the European Union allocated €40 million to rehabilitate the line. The authorities are 
considering granting a concession for the CDE’s servi ces. The invitation to tender has already been 
issued and the authorities consider that the gran ting of the concession for the CDE’s services will be 
finalized before the end of 2005. 
(iv) Tourism 
94. Djibouti has considerable tourism potential becau se of its geological heritage, its under-sea 
attractions, its flora and fauna and its age-old cu lture.  The number of visitors has increased from 
20,100 in 2000 to 26,300 in 2004.73  The presence of foreign armed forces in Djibouti is one of the 
reasons for this growth.  Tourism activities employ some 1,500 people.74  Djibouti’s hotels had 
685 beds in 2002. 
95. The development of tourism is hindered by co mpetition from other countries of the subregion, 
which have similar attractions, a better infrastructure,  and a higher international reputation.  The main 
constraints on the development of tourism in Djibou ti are the high cost of financing, public services 
(electricity, telecommunications and water) and labour , the lack of infrastructure, the infrequency of 
direct flights to Djibouti and their relatively high cost. 
96. Tourism policy is mainly the responsibility of th e ministry whose functions include tourism. 
Licences are required to set up and manage hotels.  Ho tel rates and the cost of other tourism activities 
are freely fixed by the operators.  All activities in th is subsector are also open to foreign investors. 
97. In 2000, the Office national du tourisme de Djibouti (Djibouti National Tourist Board) 
(ONDT) was set up.75  The aim of the tourism policy determ ined for the period 2000-2010 is the 
following:  (i) to alleviate poverty and maximize the tourism sector’s contribution to job creation; 
(ii) to develop and protect tourism (fauna, flora and the ecosystem) and cultural potential;  (iii) to 
                                                      
 71 The CDE has seven locomotives, 27 passenger wagons, 382 goods wagons and 11 tankers. 
 72 Law No. 149/AN/02/4 èmeL of 31 January 2002. 
 73 The number of nights increased from 32,870 in 1999 to 77,623 in 2002. 
 74 According to the Diagnostic St udy under the Integrated Framework, tourism gives work to over 
600 craftsmen, chiefly women.  
75 Law No. 71/AN/00/4èmeL of 13 March 2000.  WT/TPR/S/159 Trade Policy Review 
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boost women’s participation in economic developmen t; and (iv) to build the capacity of Djiboutian 
operators.76 
98. Under the GATS, Djibouti bound without limitati ons measures affecting cross-border supply, 
consumption abroad and commercial presence for hotel and restaurant services.  The measures 
concerning all modes of supply for recreation, cu ltural and sporting services (only underwater diving 
centres) have been bound without limitations.77 
                                                      
 76 Law No. 70/AN/00/4èmeL of 13 March 2000 defining the strategic plan for the development of 
tourism, Law No. 149/AN/02/4èmeL of 31 January 2002, and the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper 
(January 2004). 
77 WTO document GAT/SC/104, 30 August 1995. Djibouti WT/TPR/S/159 
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