Djibouti’s strategic importance is obvious. The coastal African state controls access to the Red Sea from the Indian Ocean through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most heavily-trafficked maritime trading routes. Moreover, the multiplicity of security issues plaguing the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, ranging from piracy, terrorism and inter-state tensions, emphasise the growing salience of the country as a focal point in regional security considerations over the past two decades. Djibouti’s geo-strategic position and willingness to host the military forces of external powers, such as the United States and China, continue to draw the country towards the centre of great power politics. With China’s continued African expansion amid the deteriorating relationship between Washington and Beijing, the multilateral diplomacy employed by Djibouti will be influential in shaping US-China interaction in both the continental and global contexts.