The Afars won few concessions, the most noteworthy of which was the appointment of two additional Afars to cabinet posts. Djibouti has its own armed forces, including a small army, which has grown significantly since the start of the civil war. The country's security also is assured by the continued presence of some 3,400 French troops, which includes a unit of the French Foreign Legion of about 800 men. The right to own property is respected in Djibouti, as are freedom of religion and organized labor. Although women in Djibouti enjoy a higher public status than in many other Islamic countries, women's rights and family planning are not high priorities.
Few women hold senior positions.
France is insisting that future aid be conditional on an overhaul of Djibouti's dilapidated state finances in conjunction with the International Monetary Fund. Agriculture and industry are little developed, in part due to the harsh climate, high production costs, unskilled labor, and limited natural resources. Services and commerce provide most of the gross domestic product. Its port remains an important container shipment and transshipment point on the shipping lanes transiting the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. It also functions as a bunkering port and a small French naval facility.