Djibouti's Guelleh Seeks 6th Term

0:00It's April 10th, Canada News Today starts now, AI powered and ready. I'm Cory with the story. Voters in Djibouti hit the polls on Friday for their presidential election. Long-time boss Ismail Omar Guela looks primed to lock in his sixth term. Lawmakers cleared the age limit hurdle last year, paving the way smooth. He squared off against one challenger, Muhammad Farah Samatar, an ex-ruling party player. Ulysses call it a mismatch, with opposition crews often skipping votes over tight political rains. Authorities tout stability in a rough neighborhood. Guela stepped up from his uncle's spot back in 1999, holding family sway for decades. The tiny nations a global hotspot, hosting military bases from the United States, China, France, and Japan, right on key shipping lanes between the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Those bases and poor gigs for next-door Ethiopia fuel the cash flow. But heavy reliance leaves it open to hits, like Ethiopia's shifts or Red Sea chaos, plus piling debt, especially to China.

1:05African Union and regional monitors kept eyes on the ballot. Djibouti's locked-in role keeps the world tuned in amid rising tensions.