Abdallah Abdillahi Miguil, Ambassador of the Republic of Djibouti

The two countries maintain a strategic partnership in development and security. It is an honor for our country and our president to be the first African and Arab Head of State to be officially invited to China since the re-election of His Excellency President Xi Jinping as general secretary of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee, who is also president of the People's Republic of China.

This is a testimony to the strong relations between the two countries and the two peoples. It's a relationship that has evolved over time. But it's a relationship that has grown exponentially. It is a relationship that has gone from a normal relationship to a strategic partnership relationship.

It is a relationship that must match the vision of our President of the Republic Ismail Omar Guelleh who plans to make our country the Singapore of Africa. Taking into account the geo-strategic position of our country, we want to make a node and a multi-modal maritime hub in Djibouti.

And China is well positioned today knowing full well that China is a key player in international trade and on the maritime front. We need the creation of a free zone to be able to attract all the manufacturing and industrial Chinese products in Djibouti so that Africans and Arabs can come to buy, and make Djibouti more than an open place for trade and shopping for all people from different continents.

Finally, we would like to turn Djibouti into an international financial and banking center like Hong Kong because we have a very strong currency tied to the dollar since 1949. These are the objectives and ambitions of our country which will be on the agenda during discussions between the two parties chaired by the two Heads of State.

As Ambassador of my country to the People's Republic of China, I am proud of the dynamic relations between our two countries and I am sure that the future will be bright.

Ambassador of the Republic of Djibouti

Abdallah Abdillahi Miguil