Djibouti sees many similarities between itself and Singapore. This is a gift from geography that strategically locates at the intersection of one of the busiest maritime routes in the world. A small population of a country of manageable size. Political and economic stability and ambition that far outweighs its weight. One notable difference is that while Singapore has won an award for urban planning, Djibouti city is still very ongoing. However, this is very likely to change radically over the next few years. In November 2024, after a visit to Singapore by delegations, urban cities and housing and Amina Abdiaden to Singapore, Djibouti formed a partnership with the Singapore Design Office and revised its Master Development Plan.
This marks a break with past collaborations with companies in France, Italy and Switzerland. The 10-year plan is still in the data collection and analysis stage. “In Singapore, we are changing our approach. We want to combine urban planning and economic development to make Djibouti a strategic hub for East Africa,” the minister says.
From his city centre office, Aden reflects on his study trip to Singapore. “We were impressed with their optimized space management. Despite their small surface area, they were able to maximize all economic and social opportunities. Their housing policy is very structured, their governance is efficient, and land management is well controlled.”
Mark Liu, Africa's Director of Singapore Cooperation Companies (SCE), sees clear similarities between the two countries. In the capital, this dynamic is reminiscent of Singapore.
However, Djibouti has a great advantage. That space. At 23,000 square kilometers compared to Singapore's 700 square kilometers, the country can plan for a more spacious city expansion.
Djibouti inherited colonial style plans, with the rural areas being barely developed and the city centre split into separate commercial and residential areas. The system failed as the transition to cities increased rapidly.
“Around ten years ago we began a decentralization process to promote regional development and encourage social and functional diversity,” Minister Aden said.
For a long time, rural populations have been deprived of essential services. “There were no secondary schools in some areas. Families had to move to Djibouti city to ensure their children could continue their education,” recalls Aden, who joined the ministry in 1993 as an urban planner. This situation was amplified by drought and desertification, encouraging rural escape. Djibouti City's population today is around 750,000, or 76% of the country's population. In the face of this growth, the country has been rethinking urban planning.
The construction sector, which accounts for 6% of GDP, plays an important role in this conversion. New regions are emerging with a more structured and sustainable approach. At the same time, the state is strengthening its high schools, health centers, economic hubs – local infrastructure to better distribute activities and limit urban density.
Integrate cities and their ports
At Djibouti, the port sector and related services generate 80% of the country's revenue, but the city is not fully integrated. The aim is to ensure that the population benefits directly from the economic spinoff of port dynamism. “Today, cities and ports act as separate entities. We want to connect them better to our neighbouring districts,” the minister says.
To illustrate this, Aden cites an example of an old port in Djibouti, which has been converted to a business centre. This historic site will be a city within the city with business offices, shopping centres, Ferris Wheel, a huge aquarium and cruise ports.
“This economic centre needs to be connected to the surrounding areas so that the population can benefit directly,” she says. The same logic applies to the Dorare region and its adjacent working class neighborhoods, where the government wants to encourage local economic activity. The same can be said for the areas around Damerjog. Here, future ports could become levers of urban integration.
Planned structured neighborhoods
Djibouti also focuses on developing new planned structured neighborhoods. In Barbara South, an area of ​​1,500 hectares has been developed to prepare a new face for the city. “Nearly 100% of the land belongs to the state and promotes planning,” says Abdourahman-Tamine Youssouf, deputy director of housing and urban planning at the province. The first infrastructure – roads, sanitation, electricity – was introduced to create a framework for future real estate development projects.
The PK12 NORD project illustrates another paradigm shift. For a long time, individual housing ruled. Given the pressure on the land, Djibouti is currently in favour of apartments. Today, around 1,500 homes have already been built, with an additional 1,000 targets.
Despite these efforts, the country still has an estimated shortage of 20,000 homes. “Individual plots are no longer sufficient. Therefore, we have selected four-storey buildings that are more suitable for urban densification,” explains the minister.
“In the beginning there was cultural resistance to living in apartment buildings. But today, families value these well-designed homes. To support this transition, the government has established a building management system integrated into management fees, allowing for regular maintenance and better living together in common areas.
At the same time, Djibouti wants to develop the seaside. In the Heron area, 60 hectares are filled for luxury homes. However, these developments must address the growing environmental challenges.
Sustainable and resilient urban planning
Djibouti is one of the most vulnerable East African countries to climate change, with rising sea levels and temperatures poses a major challenge for land use planning.
“There are rising groundwater tables, heavy rainfall and more frequent heat waves,” notes the minister. To improve this, Djibouti focuses on improving hygiene and building bio-adaptive homes.
The city wants to be environmentally friendly again. “Singapore was able to transform its waterfront and improve waste and wastewater management. In the early days, cities were suffering from pollution and urban disruption, but they were able to reinvent itself,” Aden says.
Drainage and sanitation infrastructure is another major challenge. “The city of Djibouti is being built on a peninsula where natural water is limited. We have identified sensitive areas where stormwater management needs to be improved and facilities must be strengthened,” says a provincial official.
The government is hoping for private investment to accelerate urbanization. “The state cannot do it all on its own, particularly in the medium and high-end sectors, relying on partnerships with developers to diversify housing supply,” Minister Aden said.
The redesign project is huge, but it has mapped trajectories. “Our purpose is clear: it's a better organized, sustainable and connected city,” the minister said. The revision of our partnership with companies in Singapore is part of this dynamic.
“The city of Djibouti continues to grow, which is inevitable. But we must turn the region into an attractive economic centre to avoid the massive volume of Exodus. Our password is transformation.
