Incumbent President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh was re-elected as President of the Republic of Djibouti in the 10 April 2026 presidential election, securing 97.8 per cent of the vote, according to official results. Voter turnout reached around 80.4 per cent, reflecting strong participation in the election.
The incumbent president, Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, was re-elected President of the Republic of Djibouti in the presidential election held on 10 April 2026, securing 97.8% of the vote and a sixth term in office, according to provisional results published by the Ministry of the Interior. His opponent, Mohamed Farah Samatar of the CDU, secured less than 2.2% of the vote. Voter turnout reached around 80.4%, reflecting a high level of engagement. Having been in power since 1999, the re-election of President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh ensures continuity in this East African country, a state strategically located at the entrance to the Red Sea and a major regional logistics hub.
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, extends his warmest congratulations to H.E. Ismaïl Omar Guelleh on his re-election as President of the Republic of Djibouti.The Chairman of the Commission takes note of the official results announced by the electoral authority of Djibouti, which confirmed the outcome of the presidential election. He congratulates the people of Djibouti for their peaceful participation in the electoral process, highlighting their continued commitment to democratic governance, national cohesion and stability.
African Union Commission, Communiqué
Observers note that the election went smoothly. The African Union Commission acknowledges Djibouti’s role in promoting regional peace, security and cooperation in the Horn of Africa, whilst reaffirming its support for the country’s development programme under Agenda 2063.
My first impression is that it’s just as we’ve seen since we’ve been here, because we were able to observe the final pre-election phase, particularly the campaign. There’s a sense of calm, everything is going very smoothly, there’s no… There are no mistakes. You can see that the polling stations are very well organised, with a chairperson, a secretary and scrutineers. And in practically every polling station I visited, I saw representatives of both candidates.
Bernard Makuza, African Union Observer
As Djibouti strengthens its position as a regional logistics hub, President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh’s new five-year term should prioritize economic development, infrastructure expansion and regional security cooperation, while ensuring stability in the region.
