Djibouti – (warsoor) – His Excellency, the president of Somaliland, Muse Bihi Abdi leading a high-level delegation arrives to Djibouti for a trip likely to create a new diplomatic row with Somaliland. This is the first tour that the president left for Djibouti since he took over the office as a president on December 14, 2017. The president received a red-carpet welcome by Djibouti president Ismail Omer Geeleh on Saturday, a move that made Somalilanders to be happy with new behavior of Djibouti president that will bring new diplomatic relationship between two countries since president, Bihi was accorded a full, unprecedented state reception at the airport on January, 6th, 2018.
The government of Djibouti has been seen before a close ally of Somalia and being against Somaliland to be independent state. The feeling of Djibouti government has changed soon after Somaliland has done an extraordinary presidential peaceful election and power transfer which made the world to be advancing for Somaliland recognition.
Following, Bihi’s inauguration for the office, Djibouti has been the first state in the region that sent an official invitation to Somaliland’s newly elected president. Willing to enhance the existing bilateral cooperation with Somaliland, Djibouti has opened its consular office in Hargeisa in 2016, while Somaliland’s diplomatic office was opened in Djibouti after the former president Ahmed Silanyo and Djibouti President, Geeleh agreed to exchange diplomatic offices with each other. In a close source to the president’s visit in Djibouti, both the two leaders will exchange views on fostering new cooperation in trade, investment, border security, diplomacy and economic development. In the meantime, President Bihi will also be intensifying Somaliland’s 27-year old quest for own sovereignty, beginning with the nearest neighbor like Djibouti and Ethiopia.
The president’s visit was accompanied by members of his cabinet including foreign Minister, Dr. Saed Ali Shire, Education minister, Prof. Yassin Mohamoud Hiir ‘Faraton’, Minister for Justice, Abdiqani Mohamoud Atteye and Somaliland Police Commissioner, Major General, Abdullahi Fadal Iman, Navy Commander, Brigadier General, Abdi Hersi Duale and two members of the presidency press office.
Mogadishu government has been enjoying a warm relation with Djibouti but the images of Somaliland president honored as a head of state may lead to a frosty relation between Djibouti and Somalia. Bihi is on his first state visit since his inauguration as President of Somaliland which declared its independence following the fall of the Siyad Barre regime in 1991. Somaliland is now behaved as a De’facto state lacking only international recognition but has completed all conditions required for a sovereignty state.
Muse Jeeh is a freelance writer based in Hargeisa, Somaliland. He can be reached at Majeex2004@hotmail.com
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