**Djibouti President Guelleh Outlines Vision for Regional Digital Hub**
*Djibouti, 2 September 2026* – President Ismail Omar Guelleh addressed the first National Forum on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Djibouti, announcing the country’s ambition to become a regional digital hub. The forum, held under the President’s patronage, attracted government officials, private sector leaders, and international partners.
During his speech, Guelleh emphasized the transformative potential of AI across public and private sectors. “Just as electricity has reached every home, factory, and hospital, artificial intelligence will permeate every sector of our economy, every administrative service, and every classroom,” he said. He described AI as “an infrastructure of the mind” that can redefine what nations, businesses, and individuals can produce.
The President linked AI to Djibouti’s long‑term development strategy, Vision 2035, which aims to position the country as an emerging, knowledge‑based nation. “AI is not an optional add‑on; it is the most powerful accelerator of that vision,” Guelleh said. He highlighted AI’s capacity to accelerate economic diversification, reduce Djibouti’s reliance on logistics and port services, and create new jobs such as data scientists, engineers, cybersecurity specialists, and technology entrepreneurs.
Guelleh also called on the nation’s youth, researchers, universities, private sector, and international partners—including UNESCO, the Economic Community of West African States (CESAO), the African Union, the European Union, and the United Nations—to collaborate in building the proposed digital hub. He dismissed arguments that Djibouti’s small size limits its ambitions, asserting that the country has historically leveraged its geography to become a strategic crossroads.
The forum featured exhibitions of AI products and served as a platform for networking among users, professionals, and suppliers. In addition to the President, the event was attended by Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, President of the National Assembly Dileita Mohamed Dileita, and Minister Delegate for Digital Economy and Innovation Safia Mohamed Ali Gadileh, among other government officials.
Article and image source: adi.dj
