Africa
Djibouti rolls red carpet for Somaliland President
November 4, 2010 · 32 Comments
HARGEISA (Somalilandpress) — President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud received a red carpet reception on his arrival in Djibouti on Wednesday in his first foreign trip since taking office in July.
He left Hargeisa on a commercial aircraft shortly after 2pm, to hold bilateral talks with the leader of Djibouti, President Ismael Omar Gelleh and his cabinet.
Cabinet members, chiefs of the armed forces and other top officials were at Egal International Airport to see off the President and his entourage.
The delegation includes foreign minister Dr Mohamed Abdullahi Omar, trade and industrialization Mr Abdirisaq Khalif Ahmed, minister of sports, youth and culture Mr Mohamed Haashi Madar, chief of staff Mr Hersi Ali Haji, first lady Amina Weris Mohamoud, Secretary General of Bank of Somaliland Abdi Dirir Abdi and presidential spokesman Mr Abdullahi Mohamed Dahir.
The Somaliland delegation were met at the Djibouti international airport by President Ismail Omar Gelleh, who for the first time welcomed them a red carpet and the guard of honor.
The two sides will discuss ways to strengthen security and trade ties between the two states. The security talks will include a broad range of issues including a recent secret landing of 200 rebels fighting against the Ethiopian government in northern Somaliland.
Djibouti has expressed deep concerns about the rebels trained in Eritrea and the Asmara government who continue to occupy Djibouti territory. Djibouti, Somaliland and Ethiopia are expected to conduct a counter-terrorism operation along their common borders. 
President Omar Gelleh is also expected to address the Somaliland leader about a possible military uprise against his regime. Ever since trying to pressure the parliament into changing the constitution so that he could serve a third six-year, a low-key rebel group has been gaining support in the Afar dominated north. Now Me Gelleh feels pressured and needs support and cooperation from Hargeisa. So far the rebels have been clashing with military forces guarding the border with Eritrea almost every day.
In late April when Omar Gelleh tried to extend his term in office, an Afar-ethnic low-intensity anti-government rebellion started in the north of the country,
It is not clear how long their trip to Djibouti will last and if they will visit Ethiopia next. According to the press secretary, the President received official invitation from both Djibouti and Ethiopia days after he was sworn in.
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Somalilandpress | Thursday, 4 November 2010
Tags: Ahmed Mohamed, Djibouti, Silaanyo, Somaliland news, Visit
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First, presidents should do something about the border crossing. they should abolish the visa requirement. it is not necessary at all. these two Somali states have something to learn from the Schengen cooperation. later, they can be joined by Ethiopia as well.
secondly, they should in an honest way together to bring peace to Mogadishu. this is both wise and necessary for both countries and their development. although Hargeisa don't like to admit it.:-)
Nice reception
Good news.
Somaliland has been steadily laying the foundations of a democratic modern state.
Fat Omar Gelleh doesnt roll a red carpet unless he wants something. Its clear he wants Somaliland submarine cable but as reported his most concern is the Afar rebels gaining momentum in the north near the Eritrean border. Djibouti's population is only 800,000, so they need fighters from Somaliland. This is what fat Gelleh is proposing funny because he wants to send 500 "peace keepers" to Mogadishu too while he cant even protect himself and his Khadra Haid from the rebels and Eritrea.
This guy needs Silaanyo's expertise and manpower. He is desperate and he is crying "we are dir, we are Somalis kalay ila qabtaa Afarta" hahahahahahahaha……….Viva Afar!!
First visit abroad Silanyo
The Head of State welcomed his counterpart on Wednesday that Somaliland chose Djibouti for his first visit as President. This visit reflects the importance of historical relations binding the… VISIT to http://www.djibtalk.com
not sure
haloo.wow thats our reletion djibouti and somaliland is a same peaple and same trapes
Whatever in the mind of Mr. Geele in terms of quickly inviting the new government of Somali land, there is an indisputable fact that the two countries are linked in many ways. We hope Mr. Geele will change his old policies toward Somali land. This visit of the Somali land president should be the real start of opening a brotherly dialogue in which the old wounds are healed. It also should remind the Djibouti people of the role the people of Somali land played in supporting them to oust the French imperialist. The people of Somali land are eager to have a constructive relationship with Djibouti because their destinies are one.
Djibouti people both Somali and non Somali would appreciate if Silanyo can explain to Guelleh greedy couple that the time is over for kleptocratic familly rule.
The Guelle-Haid's were busing buying house in 4 continents, I hope Silanyo will open them the gates of Manderra once they will land in Somali…Land.
Security concern are over played. Eritrea was never a treat neither to Djibouti nor Somalia or Somaliland. Djibouti is protected by the modern gods, a key ally of US, Japan and France. When giant gold mines being inaugurated bank roll Eritrea, it is Ethiopia which has cold feet not Djibouti.
The point is Djibouti needs the peace and stability of horn of Africa and the Unite of Somalia.It is good that Silanyo's first trip to outside is not Ethiopia like any other so-called somali leaders.
This is indeed a very interesting turn of events. Djibouti's President Gelleh is up to something he could easily invited Silanyo to a low key meeting but the red carpet treatment is telling especially after Americas change in policy towards Somalia and its near acceptance of Somaliland.
In my opinion Djibouti is manoeuvring itself into becoming the financial hump for the region being seen as a friend to Somaliland (which it is not) it would then lobby to have any foreign financial investment for Somaliland routed through Djibouti's financial sector.
I do not believe the Afar rebellion is such a major concern at this time nor is the border dispute with Eritrea.
I believe what is driving Djibouti is economic necessity.
Djibuuti and Somaliland both have challenges facing them. Regarless of what is motivating Mr. Ismail Geele Djibuuti people are our neighbors, friends, relatives and so on and on. I don't about you(somalilanders) for me I have more relatives and families in Djibouti than Hergisa believe or not. In djibouti I can have 20 families to visit and in Hargisa I may have very interest groups particularly those who employed by Somaliland administration. Djibouti does have business interest on this and it maybe oky for Somaliland and Somalis as well.
Afar in Djabout is like Samaron in Somaliland and they want their share and an agreements were signed between majority Issa Somali and Afar in the 90s. This has ended the power struggle between them and it was good on. Its constitutions should be change to advance one person instead it should be change for the benefit of all Dj. people. Now Somaliland need to learn from Djibouti before people things get out of hand in Somaliland. Somaliland has being accused ONE CLAN administration and it a time it clean up its house. Afar should have their own share because they even lived in Zaylac town in early Awdal civilazation so that is telling me Djibouti was theirs.
I may add, constitution in Djibouti shouldn't change to advance one person's interest but the need of the population. Afar has been treated differenly just because they aren not Somalis that is useless. Afar is about 30% population and they want more inclusion although they like Mr. Geele's political inclusion because before him they had nothing anf that is why the fought and established FRUIT fighting group. Then Mr. Ismail played good political by listening them and give something but today they want even more. If dj. want to become a major business hub, it should put its stabilty first by welcoming all these groups who said they were treated unfairly including Afar.
What do they mean by saying that Eritrea is "occupaying djibouti territory"? Eritrea has withdrawn its troops from the disputed territory and Qatari troops are now sationed there. What a bunch of lying cowards.
Great reception, but, what does Mr.Guelleh want? This man is a sly and experienced politician, although I am pleased to see the reception our president got. I can't but wonder what Mr.Guelleh wants? Does Mr.Guelleh belief that he can use our president to further his ambition of reviving the defunct Somali Republic? If Mr. Guelleh wants a Somali Republic, then perhaps Djibouti would like to join it? No, we must be wary of this man, remember Arta, remember closing the Somaliland liaison office, remember the attempt to strangle our livestock exports, remember the constant objection to Somaliland's recognition. Of course, this was all politics, but, what does Mr.Guelleh want now?
I trust reer Mogadishu more than Djiboutis. Atleast in Mogadishu we know we dealing with but reer Djiboutis intay huuno ku dhahan they are snakes in the grass.
Abeeso lama amiino no matter what red or green grass (carpet) they roll out.
I would be happy if Silaanyo got the full Presidential welcoming ceremony from Addis Ababa. Afar rebels are back and alive, SNM use to support them, now that Silaanyo is the President, Omar Gelleh is afraid, we might offer the Afar a military base.
Mr. Reyaale his visited Djibouti before he had visited any other country. Mr. Siranyo is doing the same no one knows waht may come out on this. I think its just a business matter and our people need eachother since we are neighbors and belong to Somali ethnics expect the Afar who are also an East-African Muslim brothers as well.
The word Huuno is actually originated from my home town(borama) and use from Arabsiya town to Tajoora in Djibout. AADO is the word that own by largely in Djibouti. There are different between the politicians in Jibouti and the the people in Jibouti. As far as the people in Djibouti is concern, we are brothers and sisters. My view is just the politicians who drunk too much Casiir and acted like there are no other people in the world by locking their borders when Somali people need it. Then I don't blame them since, this is a tiny, hot land in Africa. For example, Mr.Gele and Mr. Siranyo are related because Mr. Gele's wife is also belong Awal community in Djibouti. Somali words Huuno, belong to Borama, Wallaal belong to Hergisa and East, Aad Djibouti, Aboowe/Abaayo belong to Mogadishu area. Maanad maqan heestii Hasan diiriye iyo Sahra Ahmad ee ahayd:
Heedhee Inabti, Aboowee, Adooy Huunooy.
I call this Dir clan unity! Isaaq ppl belongs to the Dir clan. The more we are united, the better!
Dir power all the way
When it comes to President Guelleh, we the people of Djibouti has faith on his leadership an his economic reform. He has been in power for 11 year and positioned Djibouti with an effective strategy to attracte over 1 billions $ in foreign direct investment.
President Guelleh and Djibouti has nothing to gain from poor S'land with an economie that depends on remittance and lets not forget that he authorised Dahabshil to get a licence and register as a bank. Thanks to President Guelleh they are operating and recognised as an International Bank….
The liste is too long to mention….
The 1bn $ foreign investment was brought through the businessman Abdirahman Borreh ! not Guelleh and his team. Can you show what new project or investment came to the country since that one man left ?
What Guelleh and his ministers are doing is just robbing the country.
Dahabshill is strong enough and well connected worldwide they don't need the license which his granted by the central bank of Djibouti, they are operational since so many years with a huge network.
Djibouti should thank dahabshill to facilitate the money coming from the diaspora.
Guelleh and Co always thinks they are the best and forget that it's with the business people we drive the economy of a country, so please give the credit to those people.
''poor S'land'' ? So Djibouti is the rich one then? We may be poor economically,money can come later,but at least we don't have a one-man rule dictatorship.
my mean concern is who and when the somaliland people trust i think they should be more open like dj and mostty more tolerant to other people why are you always looking in bad in people and why there must be hide agenda and please spt remembre us that you help us with the french you don't see us the ones who help the SNM say evey day in and out. other things that i would like to say spt looking of problem wheere and when there is not if your so called president got the red carpet please take amd enjoy .
Meeting of Silanyo and Geele is positive but don't fall into the trap of Ethiopia and start hunting you Somali brothers for Ethiopia. after all they could side with your enemies too!
Why are the Slanders so negative? We rolled the red carpet for your new president and still unsatisfied, waa yaab.
Anyway, I'm glad about this and I hope this will contribute to strengthen the relations our two brotherly nations have. Remember this, we need each other, we are brothers. If Djibouti doesn't wanna recognize Somaliland's separatism, we have our reasons. Do not base your entire judgment of Djibouti on that.
They should build a road to link Djibouti-Hargeisa, so that our ports can serve half of Somaliland, the other half could be served by Berbera. That would also increase the level of trade between the 2 parties. We need economic integration.
Berbera will serve both Somaliland and Ethiopia. Personally if it was upto me I close the entire Sland-Djibouti border. No benefit for us from Djibouti. All the Landers doing business in Djibouti will be strictly confined to Djibouti or pay 10% to the Somaliland National army.
Hargeisa has now bigger population than the entire Djibouti. What can we gain from another Burco town?
I'm not even gonna try to comment on this. Ridiculous!
afar pple don t forget that you re coming to djibouti city 40 years ago wth ID or CARTE or green carte
Care less about the past but this official trip of President Silaanyo To Djibouti is beginning to
show big differences of future S/land-Djibouti bilateral fraternal relations to the benefit of the
peoples of both brotherly Nations who have deeply rooted kin and kith bloodhood of Adel Dynasty.
Cheers.
I always support RIGHT and neglect WRONG. sence the birth of somaliland republic it´s leaders were playing a long term stragetic policy based on hard work. See the result now:
President Silanyo was wellcomed like a king of kings in jabouti by president omer guled.Yesterday is gone. the snow of yesterday has melted down. Somaliland is heading for tomorow. I and many others wellcome the friendly, brotherly and neighbourhood relationship between Somaliland and Jabouti.
The world call that new born baby nation (somaliland) African Magic. I wonder sometimes how somaliland would be if it dosen`t let herself eaten and swallowed by so called mafia goverments who just slaughtering and sucking their blood since thieir idependence in1960. Imagin: