In Djibouti, Director-general Meets Senior Officials And Visits Key Agrifood Development Sites

09 December 2025, Djibouti: FAO Director-General QU Dongyu concluded a two-day mission to Djibouti, during which he met with the country’s highest authorities and visited key agricultural and livestock facilities central to Djibouti’s food security and regional trade ambitions.

The visit underscored Djibouti’s efforts to modernize its agrifood systems, strengthen resilience in arid environments, and position itself as a strategic hub for the Horn of Africa’s livestock sector. Throughout the mission, the Director-General reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to supporting the country’s priorities through innovation, capacity development and investment facilitation.

High-level bilateral meetings

The Director-General held a series of meetings with senior members of the Government of Djibouti, including President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, Mohamed Ahmed Awaleh, Minister of Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Livestock in charge of Fisheries Resources, Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ilyas Moussa Dawalehm, Minister of Economy and Finance, and Mohamed Abdoulkader Moussa Helem, Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development. On behalf of the President Guelleh, the Prime Minister bestowed the Director-General the National Honorary Decoration.

In his meetings with the President and the Prime Minister, the Director-General commended Djibouti’s endeavour to revitalize and transform its agrifood systems and reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to supporting the country’s vision of becoming a self-sufficient and vibrant economy based on its own unique natural condition and geographic location.

In discussions with the ministers, Qu explored strategies to expand livestock productivity, reinforce animal health systems, improve natural resource governance, and accelerate agrifood systems transformation. Special attention was given to supporting pastoralist communities, consolidating and strengthening agriculture value chains, enhancing trade infrastructure, and mobilizing investment under the Hand-in-Hand Initiative.

Visit to the Integrated Farm of Arta

The Director-General travelled to Arta to tour the flagship Integrated Farm, a 16-hectare agro-livestock site designed to demonstrate modern production practices adapted to Djibouti’s dryland conditions.

The farm combines poultry production, improved goat breeding, and crop cultivation, creating a diversified production system that maximizes resource efficiency:

Poultry production includes 17,000 laying hens supplying eggs to local markets, reducing import dependence and creating employment.

Crop production includes fodder crops that support feed autonomy and fruit trees such as citrus and date palms, enhancing environmental resilience and production diversification.

FAO has supported the model by providing technical assistance, promoting biosecurity and animal health protocols, and training of Livestock Community Animal Health Workers to strengthen local veterinary services.

The FAO Director-General highlighted the Arta integrated farm as a scalable and replicable model for modernizing livestock systems and improving food security in challenging agro-climatic conditions.

Visit to the Damerjog Regional Livestock Quarantine Centre

The mission also included a visit to the Damerjog Regional Quarantine Centre, one of the Horn of Africa’s most important livestock export hubs. The facility handles 1,4 million head of livestock annually – sheep, goats, cattle and camels – primarily destined for Gulf markets.

Since its establishment in 2006, the centre has become essential for ensuring the health certification and veterinary controls required by international trading partners. It also plays a central role in supporting pastoralists across Ethiopia, Somalia, Somaliland and Djibouti, ensuring veterinary and health controls in line with international requirements.

During the visit, officials presented the investment plan for a modern abattoir at Damerjog, developed under FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative and showcased at the FAO Investment Forum.

The proposal outlines the transformative potential of a modern slaughterhouse, including:

• Value addition through meat processing rather than live animal export, increasing national revenues and producer income.
• Improved meat quality, food safety and compliance with international standards through hygienic slaughter procedures, inspection, packaging and cold storage facilities.
• Reduced losses and waste via improved processing, refrigeration and by-product utilization.
• Job creation across processing, logistics, veterinary services and support industries, benefiting surrounding communities.
• Strategic positioning, leveraging Djibouti’s existing quarantine centre and access to regional livestock flows.

The Director-General welcomed the initiative as a major step toward strengthening livestock value chains, boosting trade competitiveness and improving livelihoods

Visit to Djibouti Study and Research Centre

The Director-General also visited the Djibouti Study and Research Centre (CERD), which is affiliated to the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MENSUR), and is the country’s key national institute for scientific research, covering areas like agriculture, marine science, and development. It works with international partners on projects such as seed systems and coral reef health and plays a crucial role in national development by bridging research with practical application. The Director-General was briefed on the CERD’s activities and was shown the centre’s in vitro culture laboratory and acclimatization green houses.

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