Establishing new terrestrial protected areas in Djibouti

The GBFF project will respond by focusing on three overarching objectives. The first is to expand the coverage of terrestrial PAs by securing legal protection for up to five ecologically significant sites: Madgoul, Galafi, Digri, Doubalaleh, and Petit-Bara (Figure 1). These sites represent the ecological backbone of Djibouti’s inland biodiversity, from arid plains and ephemeral wetlands to volcanic massifs and sandstone ridges.

The second objective is to establish participatory governance and co-management arrangements that integrate pastoralist communities and local households into PA planning and benefit-sharing. In Galafi for example, pastoralists who rely on seasonal grazing will be engaged to design sustainable rangeland use.

The third objective is to mainstream biodiversity into national land use and development strategies. The creation of PAs at sites like Petit-Bara and Digri Plateau will be coordinated with transport, grazing, and water resource planning to avoid conflicts and ensure that conservation is built into Djibouti’s broader economic agenda.