I think Abdirahman Ahmed Ali (Tuur) and Mohamed Xaaji Ibrahim Igal’s policy towards Djibouti was the right one.
Rayaale, Silaanyo and Biixi are all appeasing a sworn enemy.
English translation:
The Head of State, His Excellency Ismail Omar Guelleh, received this Wednesday, late morning, at the Palace of the Republic, the President of Somaliland, Moussa Bihi Abdi, on a working mission to Djibouti.
The hearing between the President of the Republic and Moussa Bihi Abdi served as a framework for the evocation of cooperation and strategic partnership between both sides in the area of security and strengthening peace and stability in the area of peace and stability. area. area.
The two politicians have addressed this specific topic as a priority in terms of the status of a privileged platform for dispute settlement and the adoption of a consensual agreement for peace and stability which, under President Guelleh, our country acquires in this part of the world.
The choice of the Republic of Djibouti to shelter the recent crucial IGAD summit and afterwards, the Kenya-Somalia mediation mission it is invested in by the United Nations, is a good example of the role of promoting peace and security. stability given to our country, at the level of the whole region.
Apart from matters related to peace and regional stability, talks between the Head of State and the President of Somaliland focused on achieving greater fluidity in economic and trade between the two parties. at the Loyada land border and greater sharing of water supply expertise.
Looks like much ado about nothing.Something must be happening behind the scenes.
Hello folks,
I agree with my friend, Geeljire, in regards to way to treat our next door dictator. And I do believe our president Bihi may be mistaken in here. But so far, Mr. Bihi seems to know what he is doing by keeping his cards close to his chest.
So, we should give him - Mr. Bihi - the benefit of the doubt. Although, I do think that IOG is essentially the enemy of SL. In fact, I would say that he is a far bigger and a cunning enemy to SL than Somalia ever could hope to be.
But so far, Mr. Bihi Administration is playing a blinder of a diplomatic game, at least in this year.
Hence, until we see a real evidence to convince us that they have let the side down in regards to the way in which they are dealing with IOG and his little and contemptuously tiny state-led, we should have the confidence to take things on our stride and do not go in into too much of a second-guessing our government. But, still, we should be on our best guard as always.
Regards,
Oodweyne.
Hey Oodweyne,
Welcome back Oodweyne! Agree with both your sentiments. If we look at it from Djibouti’s side they see Somaliland independence as their biggest threat, so will pull all stops to hamper her progress. Leaving water scarcity/dependence in Djibouti aside, their biggest money earner and debt servicer, their port, is about to get a rude awakening from Berbera Port. This has the potential to hand leverage back to Ethiopia (& Somaliland) on negotiating prices of imports, exports and logistics etc.
Ethiopia Infrastructure Investment To Focus On Berbera Port
Key View
- As Ethiopia’s manufacturing sector and trade are set for continued growth, we expect the landlocked country to prioritise the development of Berbera port in Somaliland while continuing to rely on Djibouti as its central export corridor.
- Beyond bolstering investment in the port itself, which is already undergoing a USD442mn expansion financed by DP World, we expect this to imply increased investment into the land transport route connecting Addis Ababa and Berbera. The first 12km of the Berbera - Ethiopia highway were inaugurated in June 2020.
- In the short-term, Port Sudan’s greater distance to Addis Ababa, coupled with Ethiopia’s high debt-load and consequent difficulties for Ethiopia to expand its rail network towards Sudan, as well as Sudan’s persistent struggles to privatise the port, support our expectation that Ethiopia will prioritise Berbera port instead.
- While Kenya’s Mombasa port is the largest in the region, its considerable distance from Ethiopia’s manufacturing sites decreases its attractiveness. Our outlook for Lamu port, which is currently being developed in northern Kenya and is thus closer to Addis Ababa, remain negative.
They could be trying to head this eventuality of by trying to price fix with Somaliland against Ethiopia. This wont go far due to the elephant in the room DP World who has an axe to grind with Djibouti.
One thing is for sure, as Somaliland’s international status rises so does her leverage over neighbouring countries!
Uusmiir,
Long time, no see, brother. Well I am kicking and fine, and sadly in a lockdown like most humans in these western countries. Any way I agree with you that Berbera will be a game changer once it’s open for business and it’s completely rebuild by summer of this coming year, at the latest.
In fact, with US taking its toys out of Somalia, and Djibouti becoming a Chinese purchased territorial and state-let fiefdom, I can easily see the incoming Biden Administration taking advantage of the Geo-political landscape of the horn by moving on decisively to SL.
After all, the Economical footprint of Berbera port is going to be undeniable, as you say. Hence, the US and the other western companies who wants to compete against Chinese in the horn of Africa, will likely see the free zone in Berbera as a place to which to be based on.
So, it’s true, that once Berbera is ready to compete against all comers and it’s open truly for business, it’s a game changer situation. And if you coupled that with the reality of SL being on the main and prime real-estate in the red sea, which is stable place to which to operate on from it. Then I could see why Djibouti is really worried about Berbera in particular and SL in general.
But, still, having said all of that, we need to keep our eyes on the main prize. We should not get distracted by all of the highfalutin talks about Somalinimo. Particular when such talks is from the likes of IOG. Or from any political chancer in villa Somalia. Not now or even in the future.
And that should be our watchword, given that every one of them, be it Djibouti or be it those chancers in Villa Somalia, are determined to play an endless game of a zero-sum kind against us in SL. Even when they are talking how Somali brotherhood is good thing as of itself at the same time they are so intend on stabbing you at the back. So that should be our approach in here.
Diktoore Oodka welcome back sxb.
Good points both of you.
But I think for Berbera succeed, we need to think regionally not just Ethiopia. I think we can become what Jebel Ali Port is to South Asia.
Berbera Port is uniquely positioned for re-export market as well as becoming a manufacturing/assembling hub. And specially due to DP World which is currently making create investment in projects like https://worldlogisticspassport.com/ and https://www.dubuy.com/.
For that, I think Berbera should not limit its opportunities. We should aim for the moon instead and think beyond Ethiopia’s small export/import market.
My dear Geeljire,
Good to see again, my friend. Hope you are kicking fine as dandy in the land of the Down-Under, as usual. This Covid lockdown is getting on my nerves. But hopefully we are in the end of the dark tunnel with vaccine around the corner, at least in here in UK. Hopefully by Spring-time this thing can be over. For I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to get back to SL by this coming summer.
Anyway, back to discussion, and in here, I agree with you that we should look further than Ethiopian market. And instead aim for Berbera to become a 24hrs and all complete maritime logistics service provider, as well as a bespoke-hub for all intercontinental ocean liners, like, manner the main DP World port in UAE is for a whole wider region in the globe.
So, it’s kind of doable for Berbera, provided we remain steadfast in our pursuit, and do not get waylaid by IOG, who is desperately trying to stop our commercial and swift march to have Berbera port to compete against his ports in due course.
For that is the reason he is exercise about Berbera and it’s also the reason, I suspect, he keeps inviting our president Mr. Bihi to come to Djibouti and to see if some kind of SL businesses can be transferred to his little dictatorial fiefdom of a place and away from our SL.
I hope Mr. Bihi will be polite enough to listen to him, but, still, will tell him to take a running jump. Given, that, SL is not going to entertain any deleterious agenda of that kind. Least of all from her worst enemy, like his kind of ilk, who prefer to stab you at the back, whilst he is shedding at the same time all manner of crocodile tears about Somalinimo and some such alleged brotherhood that is said to exist between his fiefdom and SL.
