American Marconi Wireless News - Djibouti president re-election confirmed with 97% of vote

Guelleh, 78, has ruled the small, strategically important country in the Horn of Africa unchallenged since 1999.

The outcome of the election was never in doubt. Initial results a few hours after the April 10 vote showed he had taken 97.81 percent, against just one largely unknown opponent.

"In this election, President Guelleh obtained 97.01 percent of the vote, for a total of 204,874 votes cast. His main opponent, Mohamed Farah Samatar, received 6,318 votes, or 2.99 percent of the total," said Djibouti's official press agency, citing the Constitutional Council.

The former French colony borders the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which provides access to the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden, through which passes a large portion of trade between Asia and the West.

Djibouti has just over a million inhabitants, but has leveraged its location to turn it into an international military and maritime hub, hosting military bases and contingents from France, the United States, China, Japan and Italy.

Guelleh had vowed his fifth term would be his last, but he ultimately had the constitution altered to allow him to run past the age of 75.

B.Finley--AMWN