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Somali President visits Rwanda, Burundi and Sudan ahead of elections

July 4, 2012 · 3157215 Comments2012-07-04+12%3A30%3A31Qalinle+Hussein

Somali leader arrives in Khartoum for talks

MOGADISHU — Somali President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed has departed on an African trip with stops in Rwanda, Burundi and Sudan, to strengthen ties and for a regional support.

Mr. Ahmed embarked on a regional trip that saw him visit three nations in three days to drum up support for his re-election next month. He left the Somali capital moments after celebrating the country’s 52nd anniversary of independence to celebrate Burundi’s own fete.

The Rwandan progress

On Sunday evening, the Somali leader received a warm welcome from President Paul Kagame followed by a colourful ceremony by traditional Rwandan dancers in Kigali.

After taking a guard salute from the Rwandan forces, the two African leaders met at the office of Mr. Kagame where they discussed ways to boost bilateral ties in security and peace building.

Like Somalia, Rwanda was once devastated by a civil war and almost two decades since the genocide — Rwanda has experienced remarkable growth and development. Somalia is exploring ways it could emulate some of Rwanda’s policies and reconciliation practices.

Burundi celebrates 50 years of self-rule

By Monday he arrived in Bujumbura to join other Heads of State and other invited dignitaries to commemorate Burundi’s 50th Independence Golden Jubilee.

The event attended by thousands of Burundians was held at Prince Louis Rwangasore stadium in Bujumbura to mark the end of Belgium rule. African leaders who attended the anniversary celebrations included Presidents Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and Teodoro Obiang of Equitorial Guinea.

President Ahmed later met with his Burundian counterpart Pierre Nkurunziza where the two sides discussed ways to boost cooperation between the two countries.

Somalia already hosts over 4,000 Burundian troops and during the bilateral talks, Mr. Ahmed requested for more assistance in the security sector. According to regional organizations, Burundi has lost over 200 soldiers in the war on terrorism in Somalia.

Mr. Nkurunziza promised to commit an additional battalion in Somalia. Mr. Ahmed on his side thanked the former Hutu rebel for his continues support.

Sudan is always second home

From Bujumbura President Ahmed departed for Khartoum where he arrived on Wednesday evening for a one-day state visit.

He received a tumultuous welcome from President Omar al-Bashir at the airport in the capital, which touched the Somali head of state. The 48-year-old interim leader was a student in Sudan before his political career and this felt spiritual experience and a second home coming for him.

Upon arrival, Ahmed was taken to the State House for bilateral talks with the Sudanese leader. Omar al-Bashir congratulated Ahmed for the recent positive development in the country and promised to stand should-to-shoulder with the Somali people.

During their meeting, President al-Bashir said he will extend bilateral and technical support to Somalia during and after its transition process. President Ahmed expressed gratitude for the offer and reiterated the Sudanese-Somali relations.

Sheikh Sharif Ahmed applauded the warm relations between the Sudan and Somalia which dates back couple decades. His visit comes during when there was number of riots in several Sudanese towns over the cut of fuel subsidies.

The Somali President toured a printing facility that produces banknotes on Thursday in Khartoum. According to sources close to him, Somalia is in the process of issuing new currency notes. They did not specify whether the notes will be a new currency or just fresh notes to replace the old however they insisted “designers are in the process of making new currency”.

President Sheikh Sharif is expected to face heavy criticism at home once he returns as many people are angry over the timing of these trips. Most of the key benchmarks of the Roadmap process to end the transition in Somalia in just over 40 days has not being completed. The new constitution should have been by now ratified by a National Constituent Assembly (NCA), which is yet to be formed.

Many Somali intellectuals fear the latest trips, more than six in just two weeks could spark another rift in the fragile nation. They claim President Ahmed is only embarking on regional tours to drum up support ahead of the August deadline elections. After lobbying local elders, community leaders and tribal figures–he wants to secure the regional powers’ backing. He is expected to visit Ethiopia next on his list.

Somalilandpress

July 4, 2012

Follow @somalilandpress

By Qalinle Hussein

Tags: Belgium, Burundi, Elections, Ethiopia, Kenya, roadmap, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan

Muluc says:

Burundi, Rwanda all look beautiful and similar. I hope Sheikh Sharif stops wasting money and time and comes home to speed up the process. He is to busy with his re-election and people are dying crying for peace.

7:10 am on July 4, 2012

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- Helyey18 says:
  
  Home!! he have take orders from his Masters, he is Boy, and he act like that. Just typical Somalia polaticain, or moryan. All you guys talking Somalia you are dreaming. So keep dreaming….Home!!
  
  7:10 pm on July 4, 2012
  
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mustaf ahmed says:

he is most travelled president in somalis history and probable will held That record for long to come. in somalia They are two types of politicians,one which is hungry for power what ever cost,The other one after The money. put today somalia it’s compeletly different.

9:04 am on July 4, 2012

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Cigaal says:

Relecting dugsi educated president is a disaster for Somalia, its time for minority clan to take over the leadership since hawiye, daarood cannot agree on who will lead this time. Rahanweyn may be a good pick or digil or Mirif. Daarood could lead better' but its too sensitive for them to be a president soince they led Somalia for two decades.

1:22 pm on July 4, 2012

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- kaboon says:
  
  if dar00d leads somalia agian then somalia is finished for sure this time. i would rather a haw!ye leads somalia then a dar00d. but as you said it should be a minority as the majority cant agree
  
  4:37 pm on July 4, 2012
  
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  - togdheer says:
    
    They must be The brain, haw8ye could not lead anything That is proof of last twenty years, is@q They keep winging never ending greivenses.
    
    6:09 am on July 5, 2012
    
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    - kaboon says:
      
      listen iss@qs have been always at the top of somali society and dar00ds have been trying to catch up to them all this time. but i feel sorry for haw!ye as they are stuck for you greed xaasid people.
      
      9:06 am on July 5, 2012
      
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      - nuuridiin says:
        
        no one is The top or bottom.
        
        9:37 am on July 5, 2012
      - macawista says:
        
        kkk this baboon sad individual is really living in the 12th century. let me break it to you you little person, Somali people are one race who intermarry. tribalism was a way to control the sheep and uneducated people like you. it was mainly used by warlords and colonial powers as a means to divide and rule. whether a person can lead depends his personal attributes, education sincerity and the situation on the ground. if a person with an IQ like becomes president he/she will miserably fail and any clan or tribe you maybe will not save you the fact you are epic fail.
        
        11:24 am on July 5, 2012
Mukulaal says:

He owns shares in a Kenyan private jet charters, so the corruption is expected. What I never understand is DJ president is Somali, but no one refers to him as a Somali president. So why are the UN appointed ones "Somali presidents" instead of "Somalia president".

This is the reality:
Uganda, Burundi, Kenya – Security minders
Sudan – Money(They donated 5 million dollars which they awarded to a Sudanese security documents company so they can produce Mogadisho shillings)

All the above has nothing to do with "Somalis", just a man doing the "niiko" for foreigners.

2:15 pm on July 4, 2012

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mohamed cheers says:

Ideally and ideologically, for govt power changes, it's worth considering the next roadmap
treaty signatories of all inclusive Somalia (after August 20/2012) should come about from
the Rahnwayn or Digil Mirif of Bay and Bakool provinces. This U-Turn new strategy would
certainly have very impressive significance for the future determining political spectrum of
Somalia which since the last 52nd years were under the yoke of bad governance of Dar@od and Haaawiye leaderships upto this day and space?. Along with this comes then the new powers
should house the all point five minorities and greater D I R including Sothern Isa@qs into their
political gains, as well as controlling the always volatile power hungry Dar@od Haaawiye
warlords. Surely, this win-win political scenario which could benefit all the stakeholers including
the IC is worth exploring. The other option for a new president could come about from the Splf(Alshabab) of the UIC Wing pro policies of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood who succeeded in the recent Presidential elections in Egypt. BTw the Muslim Brotherhood may just settle down to more moderate policies in the form of the new Turkey. God knows best.
Cheers.

3:22 pm on July 4, 2012

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khaatumo citizen says:

Sheikh Sharif is the best thing happened to somalia since Siad Bare .. hope he's re-elected.

9:58 pm on July 4, 2012

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libban says:

to Cigaal

hahahaha Darood and Irir Hawiye both are Minority to Irir Dir clan but the Dir House is not traitor like the Daarood. just look at Djibouti a Dir ruled country its way way better than Somalia at the moment. also look at the Somaliland government ruled by Issaq and Dir houses its way better than the bugland traitors. Without Dir clan there nothing called Somali. and about the Rahaweyn they will never rule somalia they are a bunch of uneducated fools who worship Daaroods

3:47 pm on July 5, 2012

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- saalim says:
  
  nothing is happening in djibouti accept 24/7 chew mira no productivity at all. They just collect donation from The frogs or french boot camp. dir one knows exacty Their post code similer to shiiqaal, There’s no state in somalia They are majority.
  
  5:46 am on July 6, 2012
  
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- wanlaweyn says:
  
  is this the ignorants day today tribalism is so yesterday my friends. it all depends on the person not your tribe how good you are losers
  
  1:18 pm on July 6, 2012
  
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