“People respect our work”: Catholic Bishop Says Church’s Gospel Witness Earns Trust in Muslim-Majority Djibouti
The Catholic Bishop of Djibouti reports that the Church maintains a positive reputation in the Muslim-majority nation through humanitarian service and education. Despite being a small minority, the Church focuses on transparency and social teaching to build trust with the local government and society.
Why it matters
This highlights the role of religious institutions in diplomacy and social development within regions where they are a demographic minority.
Nairobi, 18 July, 2026 / 11:37 pm (ACI Africa).
Despite Catholics constituting only a tiny minority in Djibouti, the Church continues to enjoy the respect of both government and society through its witness in education, humanitarian service, and transparent institutions, the country's Catholic Bishop has said.
Speaking to ACI Africa on the sidelines of a Laudato Si’ Movement Africa (LSM) workshop held ahead of the July 19–26 Plenary Assembly of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), Bishop Jamal Boulos Sleiman Daibes said the Church's influence in Djibouti is measured not by political power but by the credibility of its service.
“Every country has its own situation. In Djibouti, Catholics are a very small minority in a Muslim country, but we have good relations with the government and society,” Bishop Daibes said during the Friday, July 17 interview.
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