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A senior presidential adviser and international spokesman, Alexis Mohamed, has resigned, publicly denouncing what he described as a sustained regression of democracy in Djibouti, opaque economic and diplomatic deals, the marginalisation of state institutions, and widespread nepotism within the presidency.
Mohamed, who served as a close adviser to President Ismail Omar Guelleh since 2015, announced his resignation in a written statement made public on Monday. He said his decision “is not a knee-jerk reaction” and followed two years of careful consideration.
“The regression in democracy, the lack of transparency in economic and diplomatic agreements, the marginalisation of the republic’s institutions and the nepotistic management of the state compel me to take this action,” Mohamed wrote, adding that he could not condone any proposed constitutional amendment to allow the president to seek another term.
Mohamed explicitly rejected changes that would enable Guelleh to run in the presidential election due by April 2026, calling term limits “an essential foundation of any democracy” and describing any amendment to remove them as “highly detrimental” to Djibouti.
President Guelleh, commonly referred to by his initials IOG, has ruled Djibouti since 1999 and transformed the strategically located Horn of Africa nation into a major military and maritime hub hosting foreign bases and investments. He was re-elected in April 2021 with over 97 percent of the vote, and his Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP) controls a parliamentary majority.
The 77-year-old president has left open the possibility of seeking another term, a move that would require a constitutional amendment because the current constitution bars candidates older than 75. Guelleh’s long tenure and recent remarks about the 2026 vote have fuelled debate domestically and abroad over succession, democratic norms, and possible constitutional changes.
Mohamed’s resignation is significant because he was one of Guelleh’s prominent voices to the international community. His departure could sharpen domestic debate over governance and succession at a sensitive moment ahead of the next presidential contest. Observers say the announcement is likely to draw increased international attention given Djibouti’s geostrategic importance and the presence of major foreign military partners.
What comes next remains uncertain. Any attempt to amend the constitution to allow Guelleh to run would be politically fraught, requiring a formal process and likely provoking both domestic opposition and international scrutiny. With the election less than a year away, political tensions over constitutional rules, institutional independence, and transparency are expected to intensify.
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