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Djibouti Leader Poised for New Term Amid World Army Buildup

  • Incumbent has ruled tiny Horn of Africa country since 1999
  • Global powers have bases due to strategic Red Sea location
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Djibouti voted Friday in a presidential election that incumbent Ismail Omar Guelleh looks certain to win, extending his 17-year rule over the tiny African nation that’s emerged as a military hub for international powers.

Guelleh, 68, faces little serious competition, with some opposition parties boycotting the election and the country’s main human-rights group saying the electoral commission lacks independence. Six candidates are running for the presidency.