Political Outlook Difficulties over the secession of Anjouan continue to plague the tiny Indian Ocean archipelago. Historically unstable, the Comores is having difficulty reconciling the various factions. The economy is highly dependent on tourism and spices for external finance. The islands suffer from population pressure and weak agriculture potential.
Fishing holds some promise, but is unlikely to break the cycle of poverty.
Political Outlook Djibouti is a tiny country caught up in the intrigues of the Horn of Africa, periodically caught in politics of Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia. In addition the country has its own internal problems, sometimes used by her larger neighbours. Despite this, the strong French presence and connection has kept the country from becoming too far embroiled in regional conflicts. Economic Outlook A country with few natural resources or industries, Djibouti relies heavily on French patronage. The port of Djibouti, the largest from the Red Sea to the Mozambique Channel has provided Djibouti with a boon recently as land-locked Ethiopia has switched imports from hostile Eritrea to Djibouti.