Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke by phone with President of Djibouti Ismail Omar Guelleh on Aug. 19 to reaffirm the strength of the U.S.-Djibouti defense partnership.
The Secretary reaffirmed the Defense Department's commitment to the longstanding U.S. strategic partnership with Djibouti. He underscored the critical role Djibouti plays in the region. The two leaders discussed opportunities for the United States and Djibouti to strengthen cooperation and work together to address regional security challenges.
