The most important country you’ve never heard about
Summary
TLDRThe video script delves into the strategic importance of Djibouti, a small country located at a critical choke point in the Red Sea. It discusses how Djibouti, despite its lack of natural resources, has become a focal point for global powers due to its geographical significance. The country hosts military bases from the United States, China, France, Japan, and other nations, all vying for influence and security in a region that is crucial for international trade and energy supplies. The script explores the historical context, including the Suez Canal's impact, and the modern geopolitical dynamics at play, such as the rivalry between the US and China, the role of the UAE and Qatar, and the potential risks and benefits for Djibouti as it navigates the interests of these foreign powers. It also touches on the local impact of these foreign military presences and the delicate balancing act the country must perform to maintain stability and prosperity.
Takeaways
- 🚢 **Geopolitical Importance**: Djibouti's strategic location at the Red Sea choke point is crucial for global trade and military interests, with the flow of oil, internet cables, and container ships making it a focal point for international powers.
- ⚓️ **Military Presence**: The small country hosts military bases from the United States, China, France, Japan, and other nations, reflecting its significance in regional security and global rivalries.
- 🏭 **Economic Dependency**: Djibouti's economy heavily relies on lease payments from foreign military bases, which provide a stable income in the absence of significant natural resources.
- 🌊 **Maritime Security**: The Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden are critical for global shipping, with Djibouti playing a key role in efforts to counter piracy and ensure safe passage for vessels.
- 🔄 **Energy Transition**: As the world shifts away from fossil fuels, the importance of the Red Sea route for oil and gas may diminish, yet Djibouti's location will remain pivotal for other trade dynamics.
- ⚖️ **Balancing Act**: Djibouti must navigate the complex balance between the interests of multiple foreign powers, leveraging its strategic position to maintain stability and economic benefits.
- 🏛️ **Historical Context**: The region's value dates back to the opening of the Suez Canal, which transformed the Red Sea's strategic importance and led to colonial powers vying for control.
- 🌍 **Global Trade**: Djibouti serves as a critical link in global supply chains, with a significant portion of global trade, particularly from Asia to Europe, passing through its waters.
- 🇪🇹 **Regional Dynamics**: The country's relationship with neighbor Ethiopia is vital, as Djibouti serves as a trade gateway for the landlocked nation, further enhancing its strategic value.
- 🔺 **Infrastructure Investments**: China's investment in Djibouti, including a military base and large infrastructure projects, signifies a broader trend of Chinese influence and investment across Africa.
- ⛓ **Debt and Dependency**: Djibouti's acceptance of infrastructure projects often results in significant debt to countries like China, which can have long-term implications for its sovereignty and economic autonomy.
Q & A
What is the strategic importance of the Red Sea choke point?
-The Red Sea choke point is strategically important because it is a narrow passage through which a significant portion of global trade, including 30% of all container ships and millions of barrels of oil per day, passes. It is also a critical route for connecting global markets and has been a focal point for various global powers due to its proximity to unstable regions and its significance in global rivalries and tensions.
Why did the Houthis attack cargo ships in the Red Sea?
-The Houthis, an Iran-backed movement, attacked cargo ships in the Red Sea in response to joint military strikes against them. Their actions were part of an ongoing conflict and an attempt to disrupt the flow of trade through this vital region.
What is the significance of Djibouti's location?
-Djibouti's location is significant because it is situated right on the Red Sea choke point, making it a critical transit point for global trade and a strategic location for military bases. Its position has led to the establishment of military bases from various world powers, including the United States, China, France, and Japan.
How has the presence of foreign military bases impacted Djibouti's economy?
-The presence of foreign military bases has provided Djibouti with a significant source of income through lease agreements. This financial support has helped to build the country's economy, despite its lack of natural resources and arable land.
What role does Djibouti play for Ethiopia?
-Djibouti serves as a gateway to the world for landlocked Ethiopia, with 95% of Ethiopia's trade passing through its port. This makes Djibouti an essential trade partner for Ethiopia.
Why did France establish a colony in what is now Djibouti?
-France established a colony in the region to secure a strategic position near the Red Sea choke point. The French called it French Somaliland ('Côte Française des Somalis') and used it as a key base for projecting power and refueling on their way to Asia.
What is the significance of the Suez Canal in global trade?
-The Suez Canal significantly reduced the time it would take for Europeans to reach Asia, thus facilitating the hunt for resources and colonization. It became a critical route for the transportation of oil, gas, and goods, particularly from the Persian Gulf to Europe.
How has the global war on terror affected Djibouti?
-Following the 9/11 attacks, the United States sought to establish a military base in Djibouti as part of its global war on terror. This made Djibouti the site of America's only permanent military base on the African continent and a key point for operations in the region.
What is the role of China's military base in Djibouti?
-China's military base in Djibouti is officially for anti-piracy operations to protect its economic interests. However, the base is equipped with a large deep-water pier capable of handling aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines, suggesting broader strategic interests.
How does the presence of multiple foreign military bases affect Djibouti's political landscape?
-The presence of multiple foreign military bases has a complex impact on Djibouti's political landscape. It provides economic benefits but also props up an undemocratic regime accused of human rights abuses. The competition between global powers for influence can also complicate Djibouti's ability to maintain neutrality and balance.
What challenges does Djibouti face in balancing the interests of various global powers?
-Djibouti must navigate the interests of multiple global powers that have a military presence within its borders. It needs to maintain a delicate balance to ensure continued financial support and security while avoiding being drawn into larger geopolitical conflicts or being seen as favoring one power over another.
Outlines
🚨 Geopolitical Tensions at the Red Sea Choke Point
The paragraph discusses the heightened global attention on the Red Sea due to potential attacks by G's Hy Rebels on commercial ships, which could disrupt maritime traffic for extended periods. It highlights the strategic importance of the Red Sea choke point, which is a narrow passageway crucial for global trade and oil transport. The paragraph also mentions the joint military strikes in response to the Houthi movement's attacks on cargo ships. Djibouti, a small but significant country located at this choke point, hosts military bases from various global powers, including the US, China, and Japan, underscoring its strategic importance.
🌍 Djibouti: A Strategic Hub Amidst Global Rivalries
This paragraph delves into Djibouti's role as a critical point in global rivalries and trade. It outlines the historical significance of the Suez Canal, which transformed the Red Sea's strategic importance. The paragraph discusses how European powers, including the British and French, competed for control over this vital route. Djibouti's evolution from a colonial outpost to an independent nation that leverages its strategic location for economic and security benefits is also covered. The paragraph further explains how Djibouti's economic challenges led it to allow foreign military bases on its soil, thereby gaining financial support and security guarantees.
🏭 Djibouti's Rise as a Strategic Economic Asset
The paragraph explains how Djibouti capitalized on its strategic location post-9/11 when the United States sought to establish a military base there as part of its global war on terror. It details how Djibouti became a key location for American military operations and a focal point for the world's dependency on fossil fuels, with much of the oil and gas passing through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. The paragraph also touches on the regional importance of Djibouti for landlocked Ethiopia, which relies on Djibouti for 95% of its trade. It concludes with the establishment of military bases by various global powers, including China, in Djibouti, reflecting its growing geopolitical significance.
🤝 Balancing Act: Djibouti's Diplomatic Strategy
This paragraph explores Djibouti's diplomatic strategy of balancing the interests of various global powers that have a military presence within its borders. It discusses the potential challenges and benefits for Djibouti's citizens, who live in close proximity to these foreign military bases. The paragraph also addresses the accusations of human rights abuses against Djibouti's government, which is propped up by the presence and financial support of foreign military powers. It raises questions about the sustainability of this arrangement and the potential consequences of escalating global conflicts on Djibouti's stability.
🌐 Regional Geopolitics and the Future of Djibouti
The paragraph examines the complex regional geopolitics surrounding Djibouti, including the interests of Gulf countries and the strategic importance of the Horn of Africa for future food security. It discusses how Djibouti must navigate the interests of its neighbors, such as Ethiopia and Eritrea, and the rivalries of global powers. The narrative highlights a specific incident involving the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Djibouti, which demonstrates the precarious balancing act Djibouti must perform. The paragraph concludes with a focus on Djibouti's strategic acumen in leveraging its position to maintain influence and security amidst global and regional tensions.
🔄 The Delicate Balancing Act of Djibouti Amidst Global Powers
In this final paragraph, the focus is on Djibouti's ongoing role in global politics and the potential risks it faces as it continues to play global powers against each other. It suggests that while Djibouti has so far managed to maintain a delicate balance, there may come a point where it must choose sides in escalating conflicts. The paragraph also raises concerns about the potential for competition among great powers to destabilize the world order. It ends on a note of cautious optimism, with the author expressing a desire to continue observing and reporting on Djibouti's role in the shifting global landscape.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Houthi movement
💡Red Sea
💡Djibouti
💡Geopolitics
💡Suez Canal
💡Piracy
💡Global trade
💡Choke point
💡Military base
💡Unstable governments
💡Global rivalries
Highlights
G's Hy Rebels could potentially attack a commercial ship, causing significant disruptions in the Red Sea.
Joint military strikes were a response to nearly two months of attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi movement on cargo ships in the Red Sea.
The Red Sea's choke point is a critical global location for the flow of the internet, millions of barrels of oil, and 30% of all container ships that connect global markets.
The region surrounding the choke point is unstable, with civil wars, rebel militias, proxy wars, unstable governments, failed states, and piracy.
Djibouti is a small but strategically important country located at the choke point, hosting military bases from the United States, European powers, Japan, and China.
Djibouti's economy has been bolstered by leasing land to foreign countries for military bases.
The country's strategic location has made it a key player in global rivalries and tensions, despite its small size and limited resources.
The opening of the Suez Canal dramatically increased the value of the Red Sea region, including Djibouti, for global trade.
Djibouti leveraged its strategic location to gain protection and economic aid from France, even after gaining independence.
The United States established its only permanent military base on the African continent in Djibouti following the 9/11 attacks.
Djibouti's regional importance is amplified by its role as a gateway for landlocked Ethiopia's trade.
The presence of foreign military bases in Djibouti has led to economic benefits but also raised concerns about the country's sovereignty and the impact on its people.
Djibouti's government has been adept at balancing the interests of various global powers, leveraging its strategic location for economic gain.
The increasing competition between global powers, particularly the United States and China, poses a challenge to Djibouti's delicate balancing act.
Djibouti's ability to navigate the interests of rival countries hosting military bases on its soil is a testament to its geopolitical acumen.
The country's strategic position at the Red Sea choke point will likely become more important as global tensions and rivalries continue to evolve.
Djibouti's future role in global geopolitics will depend on its ability to maintain cooperation among competing powers while protecting its own interests.
Transcripts
breaking news because G's Hy Rebels they
could attack a commercial ship and could
bog the straight up for weeks if not
months there is a part of the world that
everyone is keeping an eye on right now
the joint military strikes were in
response to nearly two months of attacks
by the iran-backed houthi movement on
cargo ships in the Red Sea it is
becoming more and more important for the
global rivalries and tensions that are
heating up on our globe right now it is
this choke point in the Red
[Music]
Sea it's pretty small it's a few dozen
kilometers wide but through this little
choke point flows a lot of important
things the internet millions of barrels
of oil per day 30% of all Container
ships that connect Global
markets and this choke point is
surrounded by un stable situations
countries that are in Civil Wars Rebel
militias proxy wars unstable governments
failed States and pirates in recent
decades Pirates have hijacked thousands
of ships here extracting hundreds of
millions of dollars in ransoms a topic
we did a whole Deep dive on in another
video and lately as War has raged in the
Gaza Strip the fiercely anti-western
hooti rebels in Yemen have been firing
rockets at cargo ships traveling through
this water leading the US and UK to
strike back a ship attacked by Iran back
to the rebels last month sank in the Red
Sea the region is vital yet volatile all
at once and yet in the middle of all of
this is this one Beacon of stability a
little piece of land that is easy to
miss but that is more important than you
might think it is the country of jaib
[Music]
boti jibuti is this small arid country
right on the choke point and it is home
to the militaries of the United States
of several European powers of Japan
Japan's only foreign military base by
the way and right down the road from the
American base China's first Military
Base outside of its
[Music]
country katar has peacekeepers here the
United Arab Emirates ran the biggest
Port Eritrea seized some of its
territory recently and Ethiopia one of
the largest countries in Africa runs
almost all of its trade through Djibouti
Ethiopia's landlocked and this is their
like gateway to the world it's a lot
jibuti is a lot there's a lot going on
in jibuti which is why today we are
talking about this place I want to
explore why so many Powers want to be
here why everyone is converging on this
little tiny patch of land the size of
New Jersey and I want to ask if little
Djibouti one of the poorest countries in
the world can balance all these rival
Powers against each other without
falling victim to them you know 10 to
15% of global trade moves through the
Red Sea we will not hesitate to defend
lives and the free flow of
Commerce hey going to pause really quick
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today's video Let's dive back into the
story of jib
boti this little choke point is called
the Bob ALB or gate of Tears it used to
be nothing but a recipe for
shipwrecks it was known mostly for
strong winds unpredictable crosscurrents
and shallow reefs that made navigating
it dangerous and it wasn't very valuable
because if you go through it you just
end up in the Red Sea which was a dead
end for most of history that is until a
French company miraculously cut a canal
through this part of Egypt and changed
the world forever nearly having the time
that it would take for Europeans to get
to Asia where they were all racing each
other to conquer colonize and bring back
unfathomable wealth to their
[Music]
countries the Suz Canal was a massive
upgrade to this hunt for resources
was this video kind of an excuse for me
to buy these really old beautiful books
about the Suez Canal yes it was for
France this engineering Miracle called
the Suez Canal was their chance to beat
out their big rival the British Empire
who was clearly winning the race
dominating the routes to Asia before
Suez opened the canal was supposed to
change that so now you have a new front
in this race a Scramble for control over
this new route to Asia this windy little
choke point was no longer just the Gate
of Tears it was an important bit of
water one of the most important on Earth
at least for the empires they had to
keep an eye on
[Music]
it so the British take this little
Island right at the choke point they put
a lighthouse on
it they also take control of a port just
south of the choke point the Italians
then show up and purchase this bit of
Coastline from local Sultans eventually
taking over this whole stretch of Coast
called Eritrea and the French would
start fixating on this strip of sparsely
populated Coast right on the banks of
the choke point the land that would
become
jibuti The Sultans here told the French
that yes they could have a bit of this
newly strategic land in exchange for
protection the locals here knew what was
going on the great Empires were all
scrambling and racing and they were
going to use their Prime real estate to
get what they wanted to Leverage The
Situation smart and totally a theme
throughout this
[Music]
video so the French set up their colony
they call it K Fran de Somali or French
Somali land this choke point would
become a key base for projecting power
and refueling on their way to carve up
and plunder
Asia France would hold on to their
little Colonial invention for a long
time even as the world would decolonize
after World War II France held on to
this strategic Colony along the choke
point until eventually the locals rose
up there were protests they clashed with
the local authorities and it led to an
independence vote and in 1977 Djibouti
became a new
[Music]
country jibuti was independent but they
had a problem in the words of some New
York Times reporting from 1977 the tiny
new nation had no Army less than one
square mile of aable land and no
resources except for sand salt and
20,000 camels yeah not good so once
again they made a deal with France jib
boti wouldn't be France's anymore but
they would be allowed to retain a
military base in the country in exchange
for security and protection as well as
economic aid but this didn't change the
fact that jibuti had very little natural
resources or arable land their economy
fell into a crippling depression
eventually there was a civil war and it
wasn't looking good for Djibouti
djibouti's salvation would eventually
come when they realized that they should
hearken back to the old days and start
exploiting the thing that had made them
valuable all those years ago their
location let's go go go stop shoting
believe has crashed into the world TR
very Freedom came under attack a series
of deliberate and deadly terrorist Acts
3 months after 9/11 the United States
was about to come crashing into the
Middle East in a new way and they asked
jibuti if they could set up a base there
and jibou says yes suddenly after the
global war on terror America realizes
that it's one of the key locations it
matters to be there you had you know
alqaeda in Yemen you had alqaeda in even
Horn of Africa so they needed a base and
jibuti was one country which was willing
to offer them it would become America's
only permanent military base on the
continent of Africa and and it would be
a key jumping off point for George
Bush's war on terror and reminder that
it's now the 21st century things have
changed in the world and this little
choke point was becoming more valuable
again but for different reasons than the
old
days number one the world had become
addicted to fossil fuels oil and gas
which was the lifeblood of their
economies and most of that oil and gas
was coming from over here from the land
and Waters of the countries around this
Persian Gulf where it was then put on
ships and sent around the world a lot of
it heading west through this vital choke
point up the Red Sea into the Suez Canal
and onto Europe the world knew that
their energy was vulnerable because
Egypt in earlier decades had weaponized
the canal by closing it by blocking it
one time for 8 years inflicting
immediate pain on the countries that
rely on this constant flow of energy and
goods
[Music]
by the way semi side note this flow of
energy becomes even more important when
Europe almost entirely Cuts ties with
Russian natural gas after Russia invaded
Ukraine in 2022 so they have to get more
natural gas from this region Qatar was
not sad about that let's put it that way
anyway we're getting off topic Europe
needs this route to stay stable they
need these little dots to keep
flowing so that's one reason that the
choke point has become more vital than
ever the other reason is China
china Rose to become a manufacturing
superpower they make a lot of stuff and
they send it to the west and a lot of
that comes through this choke point and
all of this vital trade is happening in
a region that is full of unstable
governments rising anti-western militias
and Somali pirates making this route
precarious and dangerous and subject to
problems so jibuti has become this vital
place here at the choke point an
incredibly important strategic location
in a sea of turmoil okay but there's
more in addition to all of this global
economy importance there's also Regional
importance to Djibouti notice djibouti's
neighbor Ethiopia the second most
populous country in Africa and as you
can see one that is totally landlocked
it is not good to be a big country that
is landlocked because the water is where
we trade so jibuti is the gateway to E
Ethiopia's millions of people to trade
with the world 95% of Ethiopia's trade
passes through jibuti so jibuti this
colonial creation from France in the
1880s is now once again an incredibly
important place on the map it's become
once again a highly strategic
location and when there are highly
strategic locations superpowers start
moving in in 2011 Djibouti approved
Japan a passive IST sort of non-military
country to open a military base on jouti
their one and only foreign military
base then you have Italy who set up a
military base here in 2013 Spain and
Germany also have a military presence
here they are not permanently hosted
with a base they're actually hosted by
France and the soldiers live in these
hotels permanently okay that's not weird
at all but yeah as you can see the great
powers are back they're back in Djibouti
like the old days not to compete with
one another but to all band together to
police this vital choke point so that
the global economy that has brought
prosperity to all of us can stay stable
everything keeps flowing everyone is
happy and this solved a big problem for
Djibouti who again didn't have a big
industry or any kind of resource they
make a lot of money off of these leases
to foreign countries which has helped
build their economy and like the old
days when one side shows up the Rival
won't be far behind
China has agreed to set up a support
base in jibou so the Chinese base is
right here and they are going to be
watching us as we're watching them in
2016 jibuti announces that they've been
talking to China and that they've agreed
to give them land to open their own
military base which was built and opened
right down the road from the American
base in 2017 so China says they're there
because of pirates pirates have been
wreaking havoc in this area so they're
there to stabilize their economic
interests because of pirates but as we
discovered in our Deep dive on Pirates
by 2017 the pirate issue was basically
over there was almost no hijackings in
this region I me look at this graph oh
and the Chinese base has this big deep
Pier that is like large enough to handle
an aircraft carrier and nuclear
submarines so this isn't about Pirates
China also did the most China thing when
they moved in here which was instead of
just building a base they also came with
of these big ticket infrastructure
projects as like gifts to win the favor
of the locals we're talking Railway
pipeline Port all very expensive all
putting jibuti into a lot of debt to
China they're doing this all over Africa
which we talk about in another Deep dive
video we did on the topic mapping all of
China's giant infrastructure projects in
Africa and what that means and a lot of
shout outs to other videos today huh so
jibuti is now the only place on Earth
where the United States and China these
two Rivals have military bases right
next to each other and so far everyone's
been playing nice there's been no
Shenanigans other than both sides
accusing each other of spying on each
other constantly oh and there was the
lasers the US says that China was
pointing lasers into the eyes of Pilots
while they were taking off which like if
they really did that that's just like
why why would you do that like why did
you do that don't do that okay but jibou
doesn't let every country in Russia
wanted to have their own base in jibuti
and jouti said no it probably helped
that the American national security
adviser flew to Djibouti and told them
that the US would double how much
they're paying for their lease if
Djibouti didn't let Russia
in okay but what about the people jibuti
isn't just one big military base there's
almost a million people who live here
and their day today probably consists of
a lot of jet engine sounds for got to
talk to my old grad school Professor
David Vine who is an expert on us
military bases and how they affect the
locals so what we were talking about is
a foreign government foreign military
occupying large swas of land fenced off
and uh hosting large amounts of Weaponry
high-powered Weaponry of many many
kinds because these bases are so close
to like the big city there have been
accidents especially with drones the US
used to take off their drones and some
would fall and actually crash onto like
civilian infrastructure so they had to
open a separate air
[Music]
strip apart from occasionally running
over cows the soldiers mostly keep to
themselves US soldiers don't even go
into the city to like buy stuff all of
it is flown in creating a little slice
of America right in Djibouti like they
don't even drink the water from jouti
it's all flown
in and then there's the dictator well I
want to welcome president G and his
delegations here today the US base in
particular but also the French and
Chinese bases which are the largest of
of the collection are all helping to
prop up undemocratic regime that has you
know been accused of widespread human
rights abuses every time a foreign power
makes a deal with jibuti and pays them a
lot of money in exchange for them being
able to be there they basically validate
this terrible dictator who's been in
power for 25 years there's no real
elections Free Press freedom of speech
plenty of Human Rights abuses but on the
other side there's at least one way that
regular people in Djibouti benefit from
all of this fewer people go hungry today
than at the conclusion of the Civil War
and even though the economy is still
poor all of this foreign aid still does
support it is that worth it to them I
don't actually know and another version
of this video that I want to do someday
is to go there and talk to the people
and hear what their thoughts are about
the bases in jib and what that feels
like to live so close to all of these
foreign militaries for now we're talking
about the geography the history the
[Applause]
geopolitics okay speaking of geopolitics
there is another angle to this story
that is devilishly complicated to get
into and I'm not going to get into all
the juicy details you'll understand why
when I start talking about it it has to
do with the regional geopolitics the
rivalries and the concerns and the
issues of all of these countries that
are right next to Djibouti not just the
outside Powers I want to just give you a
little sampling of what this looks like
because it's pretty wild so you have all
these Gulf countries and some of them
are not totally on the same team but
almost all of them are thinking about
the future and they're realizing that
oil is not going to be a big part of
their future because oil is not going to
be a big part of any of our future
hopefully and they're realizing that
they're going to need to invest in the
Horn of Africa this region here which
they believe is probably going to be the
future of their food their future Bread
Basket so so hold that for a second and
then look at Ethiopia and Eritrea
Ethiopia as we mentioned uses Djibouti
as their gateway to the world they need
it to feed their millions of people all
of this geopolitics is also playing out
in jibuti this little country that has
to navigate everyone's interests so
here's a quick episode of this drama to
give you an idea of what it looks
like the United Arab Emirates UAE used
to be like best friends with jibuti it
was like one of their most important
Partners the UAE built and owned this
giant Port that basically runs
djibouti's entire economy but then the
UAE got really close to jibuti neighbor
and kind of enemy Eritrea this was very
worrisome because jibou doesn't want
Eritrea to become the new jibou they're
a mortal threat they don't want the UAE
to just shut down djibouti's like
strategic offering okay fast forward to
like 2017 the UAE with their close
friends Saudi Arabia are in a feud with
Qatar which also has a military presence
in Djibouti right up here on this border
now that Qatar and the UAE are fighting
with each other they turn to jibuti and
say Hey you are too close with the UAE
we're out of here Qatar takes their
soldiers out of this border area and
right away Eritrea takes some of this
land from Djibouti this may seem like
some petty border skirmishes but
remember where we are here this is the
vital choke point Bob ALB every inch of
land matters every little conflict could
be the spark that stops the global
economy and what this little flareup
shows us is how Djibouti finds itself in
the center of conflicts between other
countries that it kind of doesn't want
to be in the middle of but like has
found itself in the middle of because it
hosts all of their militaries but wait
there's more Djibouti is actually really
good at this they know how to play the
game and to play all these Powers off of
each other and we'll see what happens
next so they're kind of beholding to the
UAE UAE has way too much leverage over
them so finally it all comes to a head
and they kick the UAE out from this
really vital port and they give a
massive chunk of it to wait for it China
the new arrival to jib boti that no one
wants to mess with they now have the
port and jibuti is now on their side and
the UAE can't do anything about it
jibuti saved itself from one power by
pleasing a bigger power do you see how
this works do you see what game they're
playing here
[Music]
so that is why this tiny country in East
Africa is so important it's kind of the
definition of geopolitics politics
happening because of geography to
project legitimacy this choke point is
only going to become more important day
by day we're seeing it happen I mean
like right now as I'm filming this the
houie rebels are like potentially
cutting internet cables in this choke
point three crew members have been
killed in a the first death since houthi
Rebels began attacking shipping in the
Red Sea after months of bombing Merchant
ships to punish the West for supporting
the IDF war in Gaza I mean it's this
kind of threat that jibuti was set up to
handle that is why all these foreign
militaries are here and yet for me there
is a subtler threat that is emerging
here which you can see when you just
look at this map of
bases jibuti hosts rival countries
during a time when we are Transit iing
away from a rules-based order where all
the great Powers have an incentive to
work together under one system that is
dominated by the United States that
deeply benefits the United States and
its allies but that works because the
United States imposes and protects those
rules those rules are being challenged
and what is emerging is a system that is
Messier more disruptive to these
reliable rules that have kept everything
stable kept the United States on top and
unfortunately we know all too well what
happens when great Powers start
competing with each other more and more
over vital resources and vital
geographies in fact most of the history
of war is what happens when great powers
are competing with each other it's ugly
it's messy it's violent it provokes a
zero Su way of thinking competition
racing to secure and control and exploit
vital geographies like strategic choke
points that lead into the most important
Waterway on the planet as this rivalry
heats up jibuti role is going to become
more complex its government will
continue to do what it's done playing
the big Powers off each other exploiting
its great real estate to benefit itself
but I believe that there comes a point
in every escalating conflict where you
kind of have to choose sides I want
jouti to continue to embody the positive
some thinking that has kept the world
relatively stable these last 70 years
but it's definitely playing with a very
delicate Balancing Act and there's a
chance that it could stumble so as you
all know I will be keeping an eye on the
global order as well as jib boti to try
to see where this is going to see if the
great powers can continue to cooperate
and compete but cooperate or if we're
heading back into the old days where
competition threatens to rip the world
apart I don't think it's inevitable but
it's going to take effort to avoid
[Music]
it hey thanks for watching and thanks to
the New York Times for having the times
machine which is every one of their
newspapers ever digitized in nice
highres so I can read what the New York
Times was reporting on in
1977 love it for those who don't know we
have a new channel called search party
which is coverage from my old colleague
Sam Ellis who was the creator of Vox
Atlas he now has his own channel that we
started together the search party is
geopolitics and Global Sports publishes
every couple of weeks is really good
stuff if you like the stuff on this
channel you'll probably like this stuff
over there I want to say a giant thank
you to The Newsroom members we have a
couple thousand contributors on patreon
that allow us to do independent
journalism in a rigorous way here on
YouTube I'm very grateful to them and um
for those who sign up you get a behind
thes scenes Vlog which is a behind the
scenes of how we make what we make on
the channel you get access to my scripts
and you get the warm fuzzy feeling of
supporting independent journalism I've
got a pretty exciting project coming up
that we've been working on since like
August um it has to do with Japan
and we've been working really hard to
get access to some very specific places
and people and things in Japan I'm
leaving on that trip very soon and I'm
very excited to share with you because
it's a deeper approach than I've done in
a long time if ever and it's going to be
really wonderful so stay tuned for that
subscribe if you are not subscribed and
you want to uh watch more videos that we
are making we're trying to make better
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improve for all of you so thank you for
being here I'll see you in the next one
[Music]
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