Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud looks on during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit 2022 in Washington, U.S., December 13, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool 

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud looks on during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit 2022 in Washington, U.S., December 13, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken looks on next to Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum as they meet with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit 2022 in Washington, U.S., December 13, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin meet with Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit 2022 in Washington, U.S., December 13, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin meet with Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit 2022 in Washington, U.S., December 13, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin meet with Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit 2022 in Washington, U.S., December 13, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin meet with Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit 2022 in Washington, U.S., December 13, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool 

Athletics - World Athletics Championships - Men's 3000 Metres Steeplechase - Heats - Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon, U.S. - July 15, 2022 Djibouti's Mohamed Ismail and Algeria's Hichem Bouchicha in action REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson 

Athletics - World Athletics Championships - Men's 3000 Metres Steeplechase - Heats - Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon, U.S. - July 15, 2022 Djibouti's Mohamed Ismail, Canada's Ryan Smeeton and Spain's Victor Ruiz in action REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach 

Athletics - World Athletics Championships - Men's 3000 Metres Steeplechase - Heats - Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon, U.S. - July 15, 2022 Djibouti's Mohamed Ismail in action REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson 

East African leaders, Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, Sudan's military leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh attend the 39th Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) extraordinary summit in Nairobi, Kenya July 5, 2022. REUTERS/Monicah Mwangi 

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud flanked by Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Ethiopia's Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed attend his inauguration in Mogadishu, Somalia June 9, 2022. REUTERS/Feisal Omar 

East African Heads of States and Government Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, outgoing Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed and Somalia's Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed attend the inauguration of Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh in Mogadishu, Somalia June 9, 2022. REUTERS/Feisal Omar 

Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh arrives for the inauguration of Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at the Adan Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu, Somalia June 9, 2022. REUTERS/Feisal Omar 

Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh arrives for the inauguration of Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at the Adan Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu, Somalia June 9, 2022. REUTERS/Feisal Omar 

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell welcome Djibouti's Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahamoud Ali Youssouf during the Indo-Pacific Ministerial Cooperation Forum as part of the French Presidency of the EU Council in Paris, France February 22, 2022. Christophe Archambault/Pool via REUTERS 

Djibouti's Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahamoud Ali Youssouf arrives for the second day of a European Union (EU) African Union (AU) summit at The European Council Building in Brussels, Belgium, February 18, 2022. John Thys / Pool via REUTERS 

President of Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guelleh, attends the opening session of the 35th ordinary session of the Assembly of the African Union at the African Union Commission (AUC) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia February 5, 2022. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri 

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed meets Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh at a rally to celebrate his incumbency at the Meskel Square in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia October 4, 2021. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri 

Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh remotely addresses the 76th Session of the U.N. General Assembly by pre-recorded video in New York City, U.S., September 22, 2021. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/Pool 

Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh remotely addresses the 76th Session of the U.N. General Assembly by pre-recorded video in New York City, U.S., September 22, 2021. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/Pool 

Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh remotely addresses the 76th Session of the U.N. General Assembly by pre-recorded video in New York City, U.S., September 22, 2021. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/Pool 

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Athletics - Men's 1500m - Round 1 - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 3, 2021. Ayanleh Souleiman of Djibouti in action REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel 

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Athletics - Men's 1500m - Round 1 - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 3, 2021. Ayanleh Souleiman of Djibouti in action REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel 

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Judo - Men's 73kg - Last 16 - Nippon Budokan - Tokyo, Japan - July 26, 2021. Lasha Shavdatuashvili of Georgia in action against Aden-Alexandre Houssein of Djibouti REUTERS/Sergio Perez 

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - July 23, 2021. Flag bearer Aden-Alexandre Houssein of Djibouti leads his contingent during the athletes parade at the opening ceremony REUTERS/Mike Blake 

A Fulani nomadic tribe member steers donkeys on her cart as she travels in the Barkedji-Dodji Forest, which is part of the Great Green Wall of the Sahara and the Sahel in Linguere department, Louga region, Senegal, July 14, 2021. The Green Wall Initiative was launched in 2007 with aims to slow desertification across Africa's Sahel region, the arid belt south of the Sahara Desert, by planting a line of trees from Senegal to Djibouti. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra SEARCH "BENSEMRA REFORESTATION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES 

A camel eats from a tree in an area that is part of the Great Green Wall of the Sahara and the Sahel, on the outskirts of Walalde department, in Senegal, July 11, 2021. The Green Wall Initiative was launched in 2007 with aims to slow desertification across Africa's Sahel region, the arid belt south of the Sahara Desert, by planting a line of trees from Senegal to Djibouti. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra SEARCH "BENSEMRA REFORESTATION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES 

Dry earth is pictured in a field, in an area that is part of the Great Green Wall of the Sahara and the Sahel, on the outskirts of Walalde department, in Senegal, July 11, 2021. The Green Wall initiative was launched in 2007 with aims to slow desertification across Africa's Sahel region, the arid belt south of the Sahara Desert, by planting a line of trees from Senegal to Djibouti. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra SEARCH "BENSEMRA REFORESTATION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES 

An aerial view shows trees standing in an area that is part of the Great Green Wall of the Sahara and the Sahel on the outskirts of Walalde department in Senegal, July 11, 2021. The Green Wall initiative was launched in 2007 with aims to slow desertification across Africa's Sahel region, the arid belt south of the Sahara Desert, by planting a line of trees from Senegal to Djibouti. Picture taken with a drone. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra SEARCH "BENSEMRA REFORESTATION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES 

Djibouti's first lady Kadra Mahamoud Haid casts her ballot during the presidential elections at the Ras-Dika district polling centre in Djibouti, April 9, 2021. REUTERS/Abdourahim Arteh 

Djibouti's President Ismael Omar Guelleh casts his ballot during the presidential elections at the Ras-Dika district polling centre in Djibouti, April 9, 2021. REUTERS/Abdourahim Arteh 

An Ethiopian Airlines worker checks the tag of medical donations to Africa for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing, from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma and the Alibaba Foundation, before the departure of a cargo plane heading to Khartoum, Cairo, Asmara and Djibouti from the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri 

An Ethiopian Airlines pilot looks through the window as he prepares to take off inside a cargo plane with medical donations to Africa for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing, from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma and the Alibaba Foundation, heading to Khartoum, Cairo, Asmara and Djibouti from the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri 

Ethiopian Airlines workers load a cargo plane with medical donations to Africa for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing, from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma and the Alibaba Foundation, before its departure for Khartoum, Cairo, Asmara and Djibouti from the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri 

Ethiopian Airlines workers load a cargo plane with medical donations to Africa for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing, from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma and the Alibaba Foundation, before its departure for Khartoum, Cairo, Asmara and Djibouti from the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri 

Ethiopian Airlines workers load a cargo plane with medical donations to Africa for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing, from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma and the Alibaba Foundation, before its departure for Khartoum, Cairo, Asmara and Djibouti from the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri 

Ethiopian Airlines workers load a cargo plane with medical donations to Africa for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing, from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma and the Alibaba Foundation, before its departure for Khartoum, Cairo, Asmara and Djibouti from the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri 

An Ethiopian Airlines cargo plane loaded with medical donations to Africa for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing, from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma and the Alibaba Foundation, departs for Khartoum, Cairo, Asmara and Djibouti from the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri 

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni and Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh meet family members of late former Kenya's President Daniel Arap Moi during a memorial service for the president at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya February 11, 2020. REUTERS/Njeri Mwangi 

Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh arrives for a meeting at the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, February 10, 2020. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri 

Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh arrives for a meeting at the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and the Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, February 10, 2020. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri 

Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh is seen at the opening of the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and the Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri 

Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh attends the plenary session at the start of the Paris Peace Forum, France November 12, 2019. Ludovic Marin/Pool via REUTERS 

Athletics - World Athletics Championships - Doha 2019 - Men's 1500 Metres Semi Final - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - October 4, 2019 Poland's Marcin Lewandowski crosses the line to win his semi final ahead of Britain's Josh Kerr, Djibouti's Youssouf Hiss Bachir, Matthew Centrowitz of the U.S. and Britain's Jake Wightman REUTERS/Pawel Kopczynski 

Athletics - World Athletics Championships - Doha 2019 - Men's 1500 Metres Semi-Final - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - October 4, 2019 Norway's Filip Ingebrigtsen, Kenya's Timothy Cheruiyot, Djibouti's Ayanleh Souleiman and Algeria's Taoufik Makhloufi in action REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari 

Athletics - World Athletics Championships - Doha 2019 - Men's 1500 Metres Heats - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - October 3, 2019 Djibouti's Ayanleh Souleiman, Algeria's Taoufik Makhloufi and Sweden's Kalle Berglund cross the finish line REUTERS/Pawel Kopczynski 

Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh sits before addressing the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz 

Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz 

Athletics - Diamond League - Paris - Stade Charlety, Paris, France - August 24, 2019 Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Norway's Filip Ingebrigtsen and Djibouti's Ayanleh Souleiman in action during the men's 1500m REUTERS/Charles Platiau 

Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh (L) arrives to attend a welcoming banquet for the Belt and Road Forum hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, April 26, 2019. REUTERS/Jason Lee/Pool 

Djibouti Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf (L) shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during their meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, 20 February 2019. How Hwee Young/Pool via REUTERS 

Djibouti Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf (L) shake hands with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi (R) during their meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, 20 February 2019. How Hwee Young/Pool via REUTERS 

Djibouti Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf (L) speaks to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during their meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, 20 February 2019. How Hwee Young/Pool via REUTERS 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) speaks to his Djibouti counterpart Mahamoud Ali Youssouf (not pictured) during their meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, 20 February 2019. How Hwee Young/Pool via REUTERS 

Djibouti Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf (2-L) and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi (R) during their meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, 20 February 2019. How Hwee Young/Pool via REUTERS 

Tunisian President, Beji Caid Essebsi (L), talks to Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of Djibouti during the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, February 11, 2019.REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri 

Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of Djibouti, arrives for the opening of the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and the Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, February 10, 2019. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri 

Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the Paris Peace Forum after the commemoration ceremony for Armistice Day, 100 years after the end of the First World War, in Paris, France November 11, 2018. Thomas Samson/Pool via REUTERS 

Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the Paris Peace Forum after the commemoration ceremony for Armistice Day, 100 years after the end of the First World War, in Paris, France November 11, 2018. Thomas Samson/Pool via REUTERS