The most important country you’ve never heard about

Johnny Harris
3 May 202428:12

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

00:00

🚨 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.

05:02

🌍 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.

10:04

🏭 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.

15:05

🤝 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.

20:05

🌐 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.

25:07

🔄 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

The Houthi movement is a political and armed group in Yemen that is backed by Iran. In the context of the video, they are highlighted as a significant threat to global shipping and trade due to their attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea. Their actions have led to joint military strikes and increased tensions in the region.

💡Red Sea

The Red Sea is a crucial waterway for global trade, particularly for the transportation of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf to Europe and beyond. The video emphasizes its strategic importance due to the choke point that it represents, with a significant portion of global trade passing through it.

💡Djibouti

Djibouti is a small, strategically located country in East Africa that serves as a critical nexus for global military and economic interests. The video discusses how Djibouti has leveraged its geographic position to host military bases from various world powers, thus gaining economic benefits and security.

💡Geopolitics

Geopolitics refers to the study of the effects of geography on international politics and international relations. In the video, it is central to understanding why Djibouti is so important, as it is situated at a vital choke point and is the focus of interests from multiple global powers.

💡Suez Canal

The Suez Canal is a significant sea-level waterway in Egypt that connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. It is highlighted in the video as a major reason for the strategic importance of the Red Sea and Djibouti, as it has historically been a critical route for trade between Europe and Asia.

💡Piracy

Piracy in the context of the video refers to the hijacking of ships for ransom in the Red Sea region. It has been a significant issue in recent decades, with pirates extracting millions of dollars in ransoms. The presence of piracy has influenced the need for a military and security presence in the region.

💡Global trade

Global trade involves the exchange of goods and services across international borders. The video emphasizes that a substantial portion of global trade, including oil and container ships, passes through the Red Sea, making the region's stability and security vital for the world economy.

💡Choke point

A choke point in the context of the video is a narrow passage that is critical to the flow of trade and shipping. The Red Sea's choke point is of particular concern due to its small width and the large volume of traffic that passes through it, making it a strategic and vulnerable location.

💡Military base

A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military where armed forces or military personnel and their dependents are stationed. The video discusses how Djibouti is home to military bases from several world powers, which contributes to its strategic importance.

💡Unstable governments

Unstable governments refer to political entities that are characterized by a lack of stability, often due to internal conflict, civil wars, or external pressures. The video mentions that the Red Sea region is surrounded by unstable governments, which contributes to the tensions and the need for a strong military presence.

💡Global rivalries

Global rivalries are competitive relationships between different nations or blocs that can influence international relations and geopolitical dynamics. The video discusses how the presence of rival powers in Djibouti, such as the United States and China, creates a complex situation that Djibouti must navigate carefully.

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

00:02

breaking news because G's Hy Rebels they

00:05

could attack a commercial ship and could

00:08

bog the straight up for weeks if not

00:14

months there is a part of the world that

00:17

everyone is keeping an eye on right now

00:18

the joint military strikes were in

00:20

response to nearly two months of attacks

00:22

by the iran-backed houthi movement on

00:25

cargo ships in the Red Sea it is

00:27

becoming more and more important for the

00:29

global rivalries and tensions that are

00:32

heating up on our globe right now it is

00:34

this choke point in the Red

00:37

[Music]

00:40

Sea it's pretty small it's a few dozen

00:43

kilometers wide but through this little

00:45

choke point flows a lot of important

00:47

things the internet millions of barrels

00:49

of oil per day 30% of all Container

00:52

ships that connect Global

00:55

markets and this choke point is

00:58

surrounded by un stable situations

01:01

countries that are in Civil Wars Rebel

01:04

militias proxy wars unstable governments

01:08

failed States and pirates in recent

01:11

decades Pirates have hijacked thousands

01:14

of ships here extracting hundreds of

01:16

millions of dollars in ransoms a topic

01:18

we did a whole Deep dive on in another

01:20

video and lately as War has raged in the

01:22

Gaza Strip the fiercely anti-western

01:25

hooti rebels in Yemen have been firing

01:28

rockets at cargo ships traveling through

01:30

this water leading the US and UK to

01:32

strike back a ship attacked by Iran back

01:35

to the rebels last month sank in the Red

01:37

Sea the region is vital yet volatile all

01:40

at once and yet in the middle of all of

01:43

this is this one Beacon of stability a

01:46

little piece of land that is easy to

01:48

miss but that is more important than you

01:50

might think it is the country of jaib

01:54

[Music]

01:57

boti jibuti is this small arid country

02:01

right on the choke point and it is home

02:03

to the militaries of the United States

02:06

of several European powers of Japan

02:09

Japan's only foreign military base by

02:11

the way and right down the road from the

02:12

American base China's first Military

02:15

Base outside of its

02:17

[Music]

02:21

country katar has peacekeepers here the

02:23

United Arab Emirates ran the biggest

02:25

Port Eritrea seized some of its

02:27

territory recently and Ethiopia one of

02:30

the largest countries in Africa runs

02:32

almost all of its trade through Djibouti

02:34

Ethiopia's landlocked and this is their

02:36

like gateway to the world it's a lot

02:39

jibuti is a lot there's a lot going on

02:41

in jibuti which is why today we are

02:43

talking about this place I want to

02:45

explore why so many Powers want to be

02:48

here why everyone is converging on this

02:51

little tiny patch of land the size of

02:53

New Jersey and I want to ask if little

02:56

Djibouti one of the poorest countries in

02:58

the world can balance all these rival

03:01

Powers against each other without

03:03

falling victim to them you know 10 to

03:05

15% of global trade moves through the

03:08

Red Sea we will not hesitate to defend

03:11

lives and the free flow of

03:16

Commerce hey going to pause really quick

03:18

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05:31

today's video Let's dive back into the

05:34

story of jib

05:35

boti this little choke point is called

05:38

the Bob ALB or gate of Tears it used to

05:43

be nothing but a recipe for

05:46

shipwrecks it was known mostly for

05:48

strong winds unpredictable crosscurrents

05:51

and shallow reefs that made navigating

05:53

it dangerous and it wasn't very valuable

05:56

because if you go through it you just

05:58

end up in the Red Sea which was a dead

06:00

end for most of history that is until a

06:02

French company miraculously cut a canal

06:06

through this part of Egypt and changed

06:08

the world forever nearly having the time

06:11

that it would take for Europeans to get

06:13

to Asia where they were all racing each

06:14

other to conquer colonize and bring back

06:17

unfathomable wealth to their

06:20

[Music]

06:23

countries the Suz Canal was a massive

06:27

upgrade to this hunt for resources

06:30

was this video kind of an excuse for me

06:32

to buy these really old beautiful books

06:34

about the Suez Canal yes it was for

06:37

France this engineering Miracle called

06:39

the Suez Canal was their chance to beat

06:42

out their big rival the British Empire

06:44

who was clearly winning the race

06:46

dominating the routes to Asia before

06:49

Suez opened the canal was supposed to

06:51

change that so now you have a new front

06:53

in this race a Scramble for control over

06:55

this new route to Asia this windy little

06:58

choke point was no longer just the Gate

07:00

of Tears it was an important bit of

07:03

water one of the most important on Earth

07:05

at least for the empires they had to

07:07

keep an eye on

07:08

[Music]

07:09

it so the British take this little

07:12

Island right at the choke point they put

07:14

a lighthouse on

07:17

it they also take control of a port just

07:20

south of the choke point the Italians

07:22

then show up and purchase this bit of

07:23

Coastline from local Sultans eventually

07:25

taking over this whole stretch of Coast

07:27

called Eritrea and the French would

07:30

start fixating on this strip of sparsely

07:32

populated Coast right on the banks of

07:34

the choke point the land that would

07:36

become

07:38

jibuti The Sultans here told the French

07:41

that yes they could have a bit of this

07:43

newly strategic land in exchange for

07:46

protection the locals here knew what was

07:48

going on the great Empires were all

07:49

scrambling and racing and they were

07:51

going to use their Prime real estate to

07:54

get what they wanted to Leverage The

07:56

Situation smart and totally a theme

08:00

throughout this

08:00

[Music]

08:02

video so the French set up their colony

08:05

they call it K Fran de Somali or French

08:08

Somali land this choke point would

08:11

become a key base for projecting power

08:13

and refueling on their way to carve up

08:16

and plunder

08:19

Asia France would hold on to their

08:21

little Colonial invention for a long

08:24

time even as the world would decolonize

08:26

after World War II France held on to

08:29

this strategic Colony along the choke

08:31

point until eventually the locals rose

08:34

up there were protests they clashed with

08:36

the local authorities and it led to an

08:38

independence vote and in 1977 Djibouti

08:41

became a new

08:44

[Music]

08:49

country jibuti was independent but they

08:53

had a problem in the words of some New

08:55

York Times reporting from 1977 the tiny

08:58

new nation had no Army less than one

09:00

square mile of aable land and no

09:02

resources except for sand salt and

09:05

20,000 camels yeah not good so once

09:10

again they made a deal with France jib

09:12

boti wouldn't be France's anymore but

09:13

they would be allowed to retain a

09:15

military base in the country in exchange

09:18

for security and protection as well as

09:20

economic aid but this didn't change the

09:22

fact that jibuti had very little natural

09:24

resources or arable land their economy

09:26

fell into a crippling depression

09:28

eventually there was a civil war and it

09:29

wasn't looking good for Djibouti

09:31

djibouti's salvation would eventually

09:33

come when they realized that they should

09:35

hearken back to the old days and start

09:37

exploiting the thing that had made them

09:39

valuable all those years ago their

09:42

location let's go go go stop shoting

09:47

believe has crashed into the world TR

09:50

very Freedom came under attack a series

09:53

of deliberate and deadly terrorist Acts

09:57

3 months after 9/11 the United States

09:59

was about to come crashing into the

10:02

Middle East in a new way and they asked

10:03

jibuti if they could set up a base there

10:06

and jibou says yes suddenly after the

10:09

global war on terror America realizes

10:11

that it's one of the key locations it

10:14

matters to be there you had you know

10:17

alqaeda in Yemen you had alqaeda in even

10:20

Horn of Africa so they needed a base and

10:22

jibuti was one country which was willing

10:24

to offer them it would become America's

10:26

only permanent military base on the

10:28

continent of Africa and and it would be

10:29

a key jumping off point for George

10:31

Bush's war on terror and reminder that

10:34

it's now the 21st century things have

10:37

changed in the world and this little

10:38

choke point was becoming more valuable

10:40

again but for different reasons than the

10:43

old

10:45

days number one the world had become

10:48

addicted to fossil fuels oil and gas

10:52

which was the lifeblood of their

10:53

economies and most of that oil and gas

10:55

was coming from over here from the land

10:58

and Waters of the countries around this

11:00

Persian Gulf where it was then put on

11:03

ships and sent around the world a lot of

11:06

it heading west through this vital choke

11:09

point up the Red Sea into the Suez Canal

11:12

and onto Europe the world knew that

11:14

their energy was vulnerable because

11:16

Egypt in earlier decades had weaponized

11:18

the canal by closing it by blocking it

11:21

one time for 8 years inflicting

11:24

immediate pain on the countries that

11:26

rely on this constant flow of energy and

11:29

goods

11:29

[Music]

11:30

by the way semi side note this flow of

11:33

energy becomes even more important when

11:35

Europe almost entirely Cuts ties with

11:37

Russian natural gas after Russia invaded

11:39

Ukraine in 2022 so they have to get more

11:41

natural gas from this region Qatar was

11:43

not sad about that let's put it that way

11:45

anyway we're getting off topic Europe

11:47

needs this route to stay stable they

11:49

need these little dots to keep

11:52

flowing so that's one reason that the

11:54

choke point has become more vital than

11:56

ever the other reason is China

12:00

china Rose to become a manufacturing

12:03

superpower they make a lot of stuff and

12:05

they send it to the west and a lot of

12:07

that comes through this choke point and

12:10

all of this vital trade is happening in

12:12

a region that is full of unstable

12:14

governments rising anti-western militias

12:17

and Somali pirates making this route

12:20

precarious and dangerous and subject to

12:25

problems so jibuti has become this vital

12:29

place here at the choke point an

12:31

incredibly important strategic location

12:33

in a sea of turmoil okay but there's

12:35

more in addition to all of this global

12:37

economy importance there's also Regional

12:39

importance to Djibouti notice djibouti's

12:42

neighbor Ethiopia the second most

12:44

populous country in Africa and as you

12:47

can see one that is totally landlocked

12:50

it is not good to be a big country that

12:53

is landlocked because the water is where

12:55

we trade so jibuti is the gateway to E

12:59

Ethiopia's millions of people to trade

13:01

with the world 95% of Ethiopia's trade

13:04

passes through jibuti so jibuti this

13:06

colonial creation from France in the

13:09

1880s is now once again an incredibly

13:13

important place on the map it's become

13:16

once again a highly strategic

13:20

location and when there are highly

13:22

strategic locations superpowers start

13:24

moving in in 2011 Djibouti approved

13:28

Japan a passive IST sort of non-military

13:30

country to open a military base on jouti

13:34

their one and only foreign military

13:36

base then you have Italy who set up a

13:39

military base here in 2013 Spain and

13:41

Germany also have a military presence

13:43

here they are not permanently hosted

13:45

with a base they're actually hosted by

13:46

France and the soldiers live in these

13:49

hotels permanently okay that's not weird

13:52

at all but yeah as you can see the great

13:54

powers are back they're back in Djibouti

13:57

like the old days not to compete with

13:59

one another but to all band together to

14:01

police this vital choke point so that

14:03

the global economy that has brought

14:04

prosperity to all of us can stay stable

14:07

everything keeps flowing everyone is

14:09

happy and this solved a big problem for

14:11

Djibouti who again didn't have a big

14:14

industry or any kind of resource they

14:16

make a lot of money off of these leases

14:18

to foreign countries which has helped

14:20

build their economy and like the old

14:22

days when one side shows up the Rival

14:26

won't be far behind

14:31

China has agreed to set up a support

14:33

base in jibou so the Chinese base is

14:36

right here and they are going to be

14:37

watching us as we're watching them in

14:40

2016 jibuti announces that they've been

14:42

talking to China and that they've agreed

14:45

to give them land to open their own

14:47

military base which was built and opened

14:50

right down the road from the American

14:51

base in 2017 so China says they're there

14:54

because of pirates pirates have been

14:56

wreaking havoc in this area so they're

14:58

there to stabilize their economic

15:00

interests because of pirates but as we

15:02

discovered in our Deep dive on Pirates

15:04

by 2017 the pirate issue was basically

15:07

over there was almost no hijackings in

15:09

this region I me look at this graph oh

15:12

and the Chinese base has this big deep

15:14

Pier that is like large enough to handle

15:18

an aircraft carrier and nuclear

15:20

submarines so this isn't about Pirates

15:23

China also did the most China thing when

15:24

they moved in here which was instead of

15:26

just building a base they also came with

15:29

of these big ticket infrastructure

15:31

projects as like gifts to win the favor

15:34

of the locals we're talking Railway

15:36

pipeline Port all very expensive all

15:39

putting jibuti into a lot of debt to

15:42

China they're doing this all over Africa

15:44

which we talk about in another Deep dive

15:46

video we did on the topic mapping all of

15:48

China's giant infrastructure projects in

15:50

Africa and what that means and a lot of

15:52

shout outs to other videos today huh so

15:54

jibuti is now the only place on Earth

15:55

where the United States and China these

15:58

two Rivals have military bases right

16:01

next to each other and so far everyone's

16:04

been playing nice there's been no

16:05

Shenanigans other than both sides

16:07

accusing each other of spying on each

16:08

other constantly oh and there was the

16:10

lasers the US says that China was

16:13

pointing lasers into the eyes of Pilots

16:15

while they were taking off which like if

16:18

they really did that that's just like

16:19

why why would you do that like why did

16:21

you do that don't do that okay but jibou

16:23

doesn't let every country in Russia

16:26

wanted to have their own base in jibuti

16:28

and jouti said no it probably helped

16:31

that the American national security

16:32

adviser flew to Djibouti and told them

16:35

that the US would double how much

16:36

they're paying for their lease if

16:38

Djibouti didn't let Russia

16:42

in okay but what about the people jibuti

16:45

isn't just one big military base there's

16:47

almost a million people who live here

16:49

and their day today probably consists of

16:52

a lot of jet engine sounds for got to

16:55

talk to my old grad school Professor

16:56

David Vine who is an expert on us

16:58

military bases and how they affect the

17:00

locals so what we were talking about is

17:03

a foreign government foreign military

17:06

occupying large swas of land fenced off

17:10

and uh hosting large amounts of Weaponry

17:13

high-powered Weaponry of many many

17:23

kinds because these bases are so close

17:25

to like the big city there have been

17:29

accidents especially with drones the US

17:31

used to take off their drones and some

17:33

would fall and actually crash onto like

17:35

civilian infrastructure so they had to

17:37

open a separate air

17:43

[Music]

17:50

strip apart from occasionally running

17:53

over cows the soldiers mostly keep to

17:57

themselves US soldiers don't even go

17:59

into the city to like buy stuff all of

18:00

it is flown in creating a little slice

18:03

of America right in Djibouti like they

18:06

don't even drink the water from jouti

18:07

it's all flown

18:26

in and then there's the dictator well I

18:30

want to welcome president G and his

18:31

delegations here today the US base in

18:33

particular but also the French and

18:35

Chinese bases which are the largest of

18:37

of the collection are all helping to

18:40

prop up undemocratic regime that has you

18:43

know been accused of widespread human

18:45

rights abuses every time a foreign power

18:48

makes a deal with jibuti and pays them a

18:50

lot of money in exchange for them being

18:51

able to be there they basically validate

18:55

this terrible dictator who's been in

18:56

power for 25 years there's no real

18:59

elections Free Press freedom of speech

19:01

plenty of Human Rights abuses but on the

19:04

other side there's at least one way that

19:07

regular people in Djibouti benefit from

19:08

all of this fewer people go hungry today

19:11

than at the conclusion of the Civil War

19:13

and even though the economy is still

19:15

poor all of this foreign aid still does

19:17

support it is that worth it to them I

19:19

don't actually know and another version

19:22

of this video that I want to do someday

19:23

is to go there and talk to the people

19:25

and hear what their thoughts are about

19:27

the bases in jib and what that feels

19:29

like to live so close to all of these

19:31

foreign militaries for now we're talking

19:33

about the geography the history the

19:37

[Applause]

19:39

geopolitics okay speaking of geopolitics

19:42

there is another angle to this story

19:45

that is devilishly complicated to get

19:47

into and I'm not going to get into all

19:49

the juicy details you'll understand why

19:51

when I start talking about it it has to

19:52

do with the regional geopolitics the

19:54

rivalries and the concerns and the

19:56

issues of all of these countries that

19:58

are right next to Djibouti not just the

20:00

outside Powers I want to just give you a

20:01

little sampling of what this looks like

20:03

because it's pretty wild so you have all

20:04

these Gulf countries and some of them

20:07

are not totally on the same team but

20:10

almost all of them are thinking about

20:12

the future and they're realizing that

20:13

oil is not going to be a big part of

20:14

their future because oil is not going to

20:16

be a big part of any of our future

20:18

hopefully and they're realizing that

20:19

they're going to need to invest in the

20:21

Horn of Africa this region here which

20:24

they believe is probably going to be the

20:25

future of their food their future Bread

20:27

Basket so so hold that for a second and

20:30

then look at Ethiopia and Eritrea

20:32

Ethiopia as we mentioned uses Djibouti

20:34

as their gateway to the world they need

20:36

it to feed their millions of people all

20:38

of this geopolitics is also playing out

20:41

in jibuti this little country that has

20:43

to navigate everyone's interests so

20:45

here's a quick episode of this drama to

20:47

give you an idea of what it looks

20:49

like the United Arab Emirates UAE used

20:53

to be like best friends with jibuti it

20:55

was like one of their most important

20:57

Partners the UAE built and owned this

20:59

giant Port that basically runs

21:02

djibouti's entire economy but then the

21:04

UAE got really close to jibuti neighbor

21:07

and kind of enemy Eritrea this was very

21:10

worrisome because jibou doesn't want

21:12

Eritrea to become the new jibou they're

21:14

a mortal threat they don't want the UAE

21:16

to just shut down djibouti's like

21:18

strategic offering okay fast forward to

21:21

like 2017 the UAE with their close

21:24

friends Saudi Arabia are in a feud with

21:27

Qatar which also has a military presence

21:30

in Djibouti right up here on this border

21:33

now that Qatar and the UAE are fighting

21:36

with each other they turn to jibuti and

21:39

say Hey you are too close with the UAE

21:42

we're out of here Qatar takes their

21:44

soldiers out of this border area and

21:47

right away Eritrea takes some of this

21:49

land from Djibouti this may seem like

21:51

some petty border skirmishes but

21:54

remember where we are here this is the

21:56

vital choke point Bob ALB every inch of

22:00

land matters every little conflict could

22:03

be the spark that stops the global

22:05

economy and what this little flareup

22:06

shows us is how Djibouti finds itself in

22:09

the center of conflicts between other

22:11

countries that it kind of doesn't want

22:12

to be in the middle of but like has

22:14

found itself in the middle of because it

22:17

hosts all of their militaries but wait

22:19

there's more Djibouti is actually really

22:21

good at this they know how to play the

22:23

game and to play all these Powers off of

22:25

each other and we'll see what happens

22:26

next so they're kind of beholding to the

22:28

UAE UAE has way too much leverage over

22:30

them so finally it all comes to a head

22:32

and they kick the UAE out from this

22:35

really vital port and they give a

22:37

massive chunk of it to wait for it China

22:41

the new arrival to jib boti that no one

22:43

wants to mess with they now have the

22:45

port and jibuti is now on their side and

22:48

the UAE can't do anything about it

22:50

jibuti saved itself from one power by

22:53

pleasing a bigger power do you see how

22:55

this works do you see what game they're

22:57

playing here

22:59

[Music]

23:01

so that is why this tiny country in East

23:04

Africa is so important it's kind of the

23:07

definition of geopolitics politics

23:11

happening because of geography to

23:13

project legitimacy this choke point is

23:16

only going to become more important day

23:18

by day we're seeing it happen I mean

23:20

like right now as I'm filming this the

23:21

houie rebels are like potentially

23:23

cutting internet cables in this choke

23:25

point three crew members have been

23:27

killed in a the first death since houthi

23:29

Rebels began attacking shipping in the

23:30

Red Sea after months of bombing Merchant

23:33

ships to punish the West for supporting

23:36

the IDF war in Gaza I mean it's this

23:38

kind of threat that jibuti was set up to

23:40

handle that is why all these foreign

23:42

militaries are here and yet for me there

23:44

is a subtler threat that is emerging

23:48

here which you can see when you just

23:50

look at this map of

23:53

bases jibuti hosts rival countries

23:56

during a time when we are Transit iing

23:59

away from a rules-based order where all

24:02

the great Powers have an incentive to

24:04

work together under one system that is

24:06

dominated by the United States that

24:08

deeply benefits the United States and

24:09

its allies but that works because the

24:12

United States imposes and protects those

24:15

rules those rules are being challenged

24:17

and what is emerging is a system that is

24:20

Messier more disruptive to these

24:22

reliable rules that have kept everything

24:24

stable kept the United States on top and

24:27

unfortunately we know all too well what

24:29

happens when great Powers start

24:32

competing with each other more and more

24:34

over vital resources and vital

24:37

geographies in fact most of the history

24:40

of war is what happens when great powers

24:43

are competing with each other it's ugly

24:46

it's messy it's violent it provokes a

24:48

zero Su way of thinking competition

24:52

racing to secure and control and exploit

24:56

vital geographies like strategic choke

24:59

points that lead into the most important

25:02

Waterway on the planet as this rivalry

25:04

heats up jibuti role is going to become

25:06

more complex its government will

25:08

continue to do what it's done playing

25:10

the big Powers off each other exploiting

25:12

its great real estate to benefit itself

25:15

but I believe that there comes a point

25:17

in every escalating conflict where you

25:19

kind of have to choose sides I want

25:22

jouti to continue to embody the positive

25:25

some thinking that has kept the world

25:28

relatively stable these last 70 years

25:31

but it's definitely playing with a very

25:33

delicate Balancing Act and there's a

25:35

chance that it could stumble so as you

25:37

all know I will be keeping an eye on the

25:41

global order as well as jib boti to try

25:44

to see where this is going to see if the

25:46

great powers can continue to cooperate

25:48

and compete but cooperate or if we're

25:51

heading back into the old days where

25:52

competition threatens to rip the world

25:55

apart I don't think it's inevitable but

25:57

it's going to take effort to avoid

26:00

[Music]

26:24

it hey thanks for watching and thanks to

26:27

the New York Times for having the times

26:29

machine which is every one of their

26:30

newspapers ever digitized in nice

26:33

highres so I can read what the New York

26:35

Times was reporting on in

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1977 love it for those who don't know we

26:38

have a new channel called search party

26:40

which is coverage from my old colleague

26:43

Sam Ellis who was the creator of Vox

26:45

Atlas he now has his own channel that we

26:47

started together the search party is

26:49

geopolitics and Global Sports publishes

26:52

every couple of weeks is really good

26:53

stuff if you like the stuff on this

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channel you'll probably like this stuff

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over there I want to say a giant thank

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you to The Newsroom members we have a

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got a pretty exciting project coming up

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that we've been working on since like

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August um it has to do with Japan

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and we've been working really hard to

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get access to some very specific places

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and people and things in Japan I'm

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leaving on that trip very soon and I'm

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very excited to share with you because

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it's a deeper approach than I've done in

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a long time if ever and it's going to be

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really wonderful so stay tuned for that

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subscribe if you are not subscribed and

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28:02

[Music]