Located in southern Djibouti near the Ethiopian border, Ali Sabieh town lies within the Ali Sabieh Region, which spans 2,400 km² and includes the Grand Bara Desert and Goda Mountains. Historically, nomadic Issa Somali communities inhabited the area for millennia before it became part of French Somaliland in the late 19th century6. Its development accelerated with the construction of the Ethio-Djibouti Railway in the early 20th century, linking Djibouti City to Addis Ababa and transforming Ali Sabieh into a trade and transport node. Ali Sabieh is a cultural mosaic, predominantly inhabited by the Issa Somali alongside other Afro-Asiatic-speaking groups.

The historic Ethio-Djibouti Railways (meter-gauge, operational 1901–2010s) passed through Ali Sabieh, linking Djibouti City to Addis Ababa and shaping the town’s development as a transport hub. The original line, built by French and British interests between 1897–1917, faced financial struggles and geopolitical tensions but became Ethiopia’s critical sea access. By the 1970s, competition from roads and Eritrea’s ports led to decline, with sections abandoned by the 2000s.

Today, the electrified standard-gauge Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway (completed 2017) bypasses Ali Sabieh, running farther north near Dewele. However, the town remains connected to regional transport networks via roads and retains historical ties to the original railway’s legacy. The modern railway, costing $4.5 billion, now handles most cross-border freight, reducing reliance on trucks and cutting transit times.

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