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Report on
Municipality Waste in the Republic of Djibouti

Prepared by:
Mohamed Ali Moemen Ministry of Housing, Urbanization, Environment and Land Structuring

1. Djibouti City: Location and Placement

   Djibouti City is strategically located on the western coast of the southern entrance of the Red Sea, intersecting with the Indian Ocean and Tajoura Gulf. Djibouti was created in 1886 by French colonialism. It was chosen as the capital instead of Obok, which was the first area where the French settled.

   Djibouti was chosen as a city and a port due to its important location. The French thought of establishing a railroad that links the Red Sea coast and the Ethiopian plateau, especially the town of Harar which is known for its production and foreign trade. The new port was built to replace Zida port, as the latter became less important. (There were other strategic and tactical targets, which are irrelevant to the scope of this report).

   The new railroad provided Ethiopia, for the first time, with a maritime outlet as it bridged a link between Addis Ababa and Djibouti in 1917. Djibouti was built on three coral hills (small plateaus: 4-6 meters long above the sea level). These hills are located on the northern coast, taking the form of a cape and separated by a low small sedimentary plain. To the south of these hills, there is a wider sedimentary plain taking the form of a low basin. Most of its parts are lower than the sea level. Hunbuly valley separates this cape (peninsula) from the Basaltic plateau in the south. This area was used later as an urban expansion area.


 
2. Djibouti: creation and urbanization structure

   Djibouti was built on three coral hills. The commercial district was created on the southern plateau while the railroad was established on the northern plateau, which is close to the port. The European housing district was built on the eastern plateau.

   The indigenous inhabitants were the workers who were attracted to the new city coming from inside and outside the region. These workers came to the city in order to work for a short period and go back to the villages where they came from. They had no idea about living in a city or an urban area. Hence, they chose a plain in the south that gets flooded from time to time by seawater, to build up their huts.

   Given the geological advantages, Djibouti started to grow since the 19th century and had its characteristics crystallized in the 20th century. It grew in two different ways:

   2.1 The European District and the Commercial Center

   These were established on and around three plateaus, which became one urban zone. The process of urbanization was relatively slow in which urbanization requirements were taken into consideration.

   2.2 The Popular District

   The popular district grew informally and rapidly on a sedimentary plain without any consideration to the urbanization needs. In most cases, there were no construction permits taken from the concerned authority. This process continued until the end of World War II.

   Since this date, the authority insisted on applying urbanization regulations especially after promulgating the law of temporary land tenure concerning lands in the popular district. It regulated the property system and the quality of construction. The owner did not need to have a land tenure, or pay any fees as long as the construction material was light. Yet, solid construction material (stones) needed a license and a land tenure. The owner had to respect regulations in this case.

   By virtue of this law, the district network was reorganized. The informal settlements were extended to the south, in the middle of the sedimentary plain. Yet, they stopped at Hunbuly valley, located in the south of the city, which separated the peninsula from the continent. The gap between the European district in the north and the African one in the south was increasingly taking place on a daily basis.

   The problems that occurred due to the deterioration of the popular districts started to preoccupy the decision makers who were mainly concerned with security and health.

   At the end of the sixties, the concerned authority thought about lowering the population pressure upon the districts which, in turn, embraced 80% of the city's inhabitants. It built districts for the indigenous middle class people along 100 hectares. Five districts were built in the western area of the popular districts (the Stadium, Angela, Arheba, Brogry and National Security Forces).

   2.3 The stage of Djibouti's rapid growth (1972-1991)

   In the seventies, according to the construction program, four other districts were built in the far south of the popular district (Akitin, Aviation, Airport and Gobot). These districts were provided with infrastructure. All the houses of these districts were constructed with stones, unlike the popular districts where there was no infrastructure such as roads, water, electricity and sewage system. Besides, the construction materials of these popular districts were light such as wood, zinc and mostly carton and sometimes hay.

   After the independence, authorities tried to break the psychological wall between the different city districts. They worked on solving the urbanization problems of the popular districts. They facilitated accessibility to constructed land property on one condition, which is reconstructing buildings with stones. In addition, inhabitants who could not afford building with stones had to move to the city extensions, leaving the land to others who could make constructions according to the new terms (or conditions). The state got foreign loans in order to restructure the roads of these districts within a big program, which aims at improving the standard of living of low income people.

   According to this program, the state provided a fund for real estate credits for inhabitants in districts that had to be restructured in order to build houses in accordance with the new restrictions. After independence, the city started to have a new international dimension. It became the city of an independent state where delegations and organizations settled. The new state cadres asked for classy houses. This, in turn, increased first class constructions. New spaces on the coast were reserved for these constructions because there was no place for them in the northern part of the city. New districts were created such as Eron (diplomatic district) which consisted of one-floor or ground floor villas.

   On the other hand, the popular districts increased outside the peninsula where Balbala district was created, which was originally a station in the southern extension of the city serving caravans coming from villages in order to get their basic needs from the city. After independence in 1977, this district became a flourishing zone for the city and especially for popular areas.

   The district was rapidly growing, houses were mostly constructed with stone and wood and even carton. The quality and the place of construction were informally chosen until the state intervened in the eighties, putting a minimum level of restrictions. Main and secondary roads were paved. The area was divided into districts. Houses were built according to an urbanization plan in Djibouti city in 1983. This plan structured the city growth until year 2005. Nevertheless, informal settlements continued to grow in the south avoiding the restrictions put by the state.

   2.4 The present structure of the urban area

   The urban area in Djibouti City is divided into four parts. Each part has its own characteristics: the standard of living, behavior, social level and quality of construction. The total area of Djibouti City is about 3000 hectares. The constructed area is about 770 hectares. Districts are divided as follows:

   a)	Classy houses district: It is the first city core. Unlike other city districts, it has the advantage of good construction quality, wide spaces between houses and a commercial center. The constructed area is 185 hectares. It embraces 5% of the total population in the city i.e. 5inhabitants per hectare. The population numbers 16,000.
   b)	Old popular districts: They were built on the sedimentary plain (liable to floods). Most of the houses are made of light construction materials. At present, these districts are being reconstructed. They are built on an area of 180 hectares. They are inhabited by 45% of the total city population i.e. 500-650 inhabitants per hectares. The population numbers 150,000 according to 1977 statistics.
   c)	The Seventies districts: The infrastructure of these districts deteriorated due to over population. 15% of the population exists in these areas, i.e. 50,000 inhabitants according to 1977 statistics.
   d)	Balbala district: It is located outside the urban parameter known for Djibouti city until the mid 80's. This district grew rapidly. In 1982, its population numbered 28,000. At present, it exceeded 130,000. Meanwhile, the constructed area increased from 155 hectares to 350 hectares in 1977. This district embraces about 35% of the total population of the city.

   Table of population growth and future prospects

   Year	Population
   1976	125,000
   1983	213,000
   1997	327,000
   2002	374,000

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