MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – The government of Djibouti on Monday dismissed accusations of its alleged involvement in the funding and facilitation of arms trafficking in the Horn of Africa.
In a statement, Djibouti Foreign Ministry said that all those allegations are groundless and lack concrete and credible evidence,
The tiny Horn of Africa nation reiterated its commitment to defend stability and peace in the region.
Early this month, Specialist intelligence company Ex Africa, which analyses political and economic risks to business investing in Africa, warned that Djibouti has become an increasingly important hub for armed groups in Africa and the Middle East.
Ex Africa has suggested that Djibouti’s position on some of the World’s busiest shipping lanes has made it a convenient transit location for the flow of arms to and from war zones, in particular, Yemen and Somalia.
Speaking about its report on the illegal arms trade in Djibouti, Ex Africa said: “Many Djiboutian companies that are engaged in the country’s thriving marine sector have been implicated in the illegal weapons trade, raising reputational risks for foreign investors seeking to participate in Djibouti’s economy.
“The proliferation of weapons in Djibouti is also raising concerns over armed criminal activity and rising risk of terrorist attacks in a location frequented by foreign military personnel.”
The inquiry noted that the foreign powers present here through their military bases do not seem concerned about it and will do nothing for fear of losing their leasing contracts.
The US, Germany, France, and Italy all have a military presence in Djibouti, and it’s also home to China’s only foreign naval base.
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