Drawing on the case of Djibouti, the research problem this article addresses is whether the unique confluence of overseas security forces in a single territorial space through the leasing of land for foreign military bases compromises the state’s sovereignty. Djibouti now hosts more extracontinental foreign military bases and multilateral forces than anywhere else in Africa, including troops from Japan, China, the USA, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and (prospectively) India. Perceived as a fragile African state, Djibouti is reportedly compelled to collect revenue through leasing land for military bases to foreign powers. Situated at the Bab el Mandeb strait, a narrow shipping corridor through which oil and goods pass between Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Gulf, Djibouti is restricted to developing geo-economic goals because it has a harsh climate where natural resources are limited, and only a tiny proportion of its 23, 180 km2 land area is arable. As a result, the state described as ‘The Eagle’s Nest’ in the Horn of Africa4, in reference to the US’ military strategic deployment there, must use its only resource – its strategically situated land – to generate income. However, this runs a further risk of creating a congested sovereign territory, undermining the country’s power, and hollowing out its significance as a sovereign state as it makes the most of its geostrategic location by renting territorial space to foreign powers.