Incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Djibouti's presidential candidate for the ruling Union for the Presidential Majority, casts his ballot at a polling station for the presidential election in Djibouti City, capital of Djibouti, on April 10, 2026. Polling stations opened their doors across Djibouti on Friday morning for the start of voting in the country's presidential election. The election will see incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh, 78, running for his sixth term and competing against Mohamed Farah Samatar, presidential candidate for the Unified Democratic Centre. (La Nation/Handout via Xinhua)

DJIBOUTI CITY, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Polling stations opened their doors across Djibouti on Friday morning for the start of voting in the country's presidential election.

The voting process will last for one day, with results expected to be announced shortly after the closure of all polling stations.

The election will see incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh, 78, running for his sixth term and competing against Mohamed Farah Samatar, presidential candidate for the Unified Democratic Centre.

According to local political analysts, the incumbent president is widely expected to win Friday's election.

Djibouti, a small country at the mouth of the Horn of Africa, serves as a major hub for international commerce as well as a key partner in the fight against sea piracy and transnational terrorism.

The Red Sea nation, with a population of about one million, is also the main foreign trade outlet for neighboring landlocked Ethiopia. ■

Mohamed Farah Samatar, Djibouti's presidential candidate for the Unified Democratic Centre, casts his ballot at a polling station for the presidential election in Djibouti City, capital of Djibouti, on April 10, 2026. Polling stations opened their doors across Djibouti on Friday morning for the start of voting in the country's presidential election.

The election will see incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh, 78, running for his sixth term and competing against Mohamed Farah Samatar, presidential candidate for the Unified Democratic Centre. (La Nation/Handout via Xinhua)

A woman casts her ballot at a polling station for the presidential election in Djibouti City, capital of Djibouti, on April 10, 2026. Polling stations opened their doors across Djibouti on Friday morning for the start of voting in the country's presidential election.

The election will see incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh, 78, running for his sixth term and competing against Mohamed Farah Samatar, presidential candidate for the Unified Democratic Centre. (Xinhua/Geng Xinning)

A woman displays her ink-stained finger after casting ballot at a polling station for the presidential election in Djibouti City, capital of Djibouti, on April 10, 2026. Polling stations opened their doors across Djibouti on Friday morning for the start of voting in the country's presidential election.

The election will see incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh, 78, running for his sixth term and competing against Mohamed Farah Samatar, presidential candidate for the Unified Democratic Centre. (Xinhua/Geng Xinning)

An international observer (L) from the African Union works at a polling station during the presidential election in Djibouti City, capital of Djibouti, on April 10, 2026. Polling stations opened their doors across Djibouti on Friday morning for the start of voting in the country's presidential election.

The election will see incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh, 78, running for his sixth term and competing against Mohamed Farah Samatar, presidential candidate for the Unified Democratic Centre. (Xinhua/Geng Xinning)

A woman registers before casting her ballot at a polling station for the presidential election in Djibouti City, capital of Djibouti, on April 10, 2026. Polling stations opened their doors across Djibouti on Friday morning for the start of voting in the country's presidential election.

The election will see incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh, 78, running for his sixth term and competing against Mohamed Farah Samatar, presidential candidate for the Unified Democratic Centre. (Xinhua/Geng Xinning)

People line up to vote for the presidential election at a polling station in Djibouti City, capital of Djibouti, on April 10, 2026. Polling stations opened their doors across Djibouti on Friday morning for the start of voting in the country's presidential election.

The election will see incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh, 78, running for his sixth term and competing against Mohamed Farah Samatar, presidential candidate for the Unified Democratic Centre. (Xinhua/Geng Xinning)

A man casts his ballot at a polling station for the presidential election in Djibouti City, capital of Djibouti, on April 10, 2026. Polling stations opened their doors across Djibouti on Friday morning for the start of voting in the country's presidential election.

The election will see incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh, 78, running for his sixth term and competing against Mohamed Farah Samatar, presidential candidate for the Unified Democratic Centre. (Xinhua/Geng Xinning)

A voter looks through the voters' roll at a polling station for the presidential election in Djibouti City, capital of Djibouti, on April 10, 2026. Polling stations opened their doors across Djibouti on Friday morning for the start of voting in the country's presidential election.

The election will see incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh, 78, running for his sixth term and competing against Mohamed Farah Samatar, presidential candidate for the Unified Democratic Centre. (Xinhua/Geng Xinning)

Staff members prepare ballots at a polling station for the presidential election in Djibouti City, capital of Djibouti, on April 10, 2026. Polling stations opened their doors across Djibouti on Friday morning for the start of voting in the country's presidential election.

The election will see incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh, 78, running for his sixth term and competing against Mohamed Farah Samatar, presidential candidate for the Unified Democratic Centre. (Xinhua/Geng Xinning)