HARGEISA (Somalilandpress) — President Dahir Rayale Kahin has flown out off the country on Thursday to the Djibouti Republic for a surprise visit to the Red Sea nation, Ethiopia and France.
The president was accompanied by the first lady, Huda Barkad Adan, minister of Post and Telecommunication, Mr. Ali Sandule, Director of port of Berbera, Mr. Ali Horhor, and the President’s Personal Secretary, Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Isse.
It is unclear why the trip has been kept so secret but according to a source close to the government the president received an official invitation from the French government. He will stop by Djibouti to pay a personal visit to the French embassy in the Djibouti to follow up the recent visit to Hargeisa by the French Ambassador and his delegation (see British and French diplomats arrive).
While in Djibouti, the Minister of Post and Telecommunication will also sign a major telecommunication deal that will see Somaliland connected to Europe’s fast internet cables via the East African Submarine Cable System (EASSy) and Seacom. The submarine-cable will also be connected to Ethiopia through Somaliland’s Berbera waters.
The president will then fly to Addis Ababa, where he will meet officials from the Ethiopian government, diplomats from a number of European nations, before he flies to Paris.
A local analyst believes the president and his team might also meet with French investors and might sign a major contract worth $700-million USD with Bolloré Africa Logistics to manage the port of Berbera. He added that, president Rayale will also discuss the issue of the port with the Ethiopians leaders.
Somaliland has been pushing landlocked Ethiopia, the second most populous nation in Africa to use it’s Berbera as their prime port. Bolloré Africa Logistics has held a separate meetings with Prime Minister Meles Zenaw of Ethiopia in December of 2009.
Vice President Ahmed Yasin, who just returned from a Paris hospital after falling ill saluted the president as he jetted off to the Red Sea nation of Djibout.
While visiting Hargeisa, the French ambassador to Djibouti on Saturday, told the president, that France would support development in Somaliland in particular in education. He cited his country will consider giving Somaliland students free scholarships to study in France.
This is not the first time President Rayale has received an invitation from the French government, in September of 2008, he led a delegation to France on a working mission. However, the President is leading a very different team this time, his Foreign Minister, is already in Addis Ababa after Somaliland was invited to a summit of Ambassadors and diplomats spearheaded by Romania, the intermediate chairman.
According to the government radio, Radio Hargeisa, Mr. Abdullahi Mohamed Dualeh, will address the diplomats from leading European, American, African and Asian countries gathering in the Ethiopian capital. He will make a case of Somaliland’s quest for international recognition and might win new friends.
The president’s visit will last about two weeks.
Photo: President Rayale receives French Ambassador to Djibouti, Mr. Dominique Decherf at the presidential palace.
Somalilandpress, 22 April 2010
Somaliland has a Minister of Post and Telecommunication ? But there is no post! Clearly this man does his job well.
Amal I think you dont understand how a postal system works and personally I think Somaliland should establish a new indepedent body called Somaliland Post Office, Postal Services and it should operate like a private company but under Somaliland constitution, because it can function without the government. It would function infact more efficiently and effectively but how do you gurantee privacy?
The Postal charges fees for delivery, stamps, etc but right now Somaliland cant afford one and there is no company rich enough to establish it because you need a flight of jets, trucks, etc.
Nevertheless, the lack of recognition plays a crucial role in the lack of postal services in the country not the minister.
Election year makes the merry-go-around, eh? Now we see activities, deal signing and quest for recognition!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I guess president is trying to work his butt off right now so he can earn couple of more years by asking for recognition and deal breaks..TOO LATE BUDDY…
very hard working president, many may not understand the magnitude and the responsibilities of leading un-recognised country,,, wishing all the best for the president. ameeen.
One of these is being unaccountible and do things as they please you not the clueless civilians. Plus, you enjoy the ride high, fast and free as the world around you care less cause you are 'non existant' to them.
I hope this trip produce meaningful things for Somaliland and it's people, and I hope this is not going to be another photo opportunity. and waste of taxi payers money.
As Somalilander, I am more concern this trip will not turn into one of the previous trips the president took, sign business deals and nothing came out of it. Do we all remember the German companies who signed a deal with Somaliland Government to build a factories in Berbera, and it turnout to be a joke?
I am praying this will not be like that to.
the deal of the Fast internet Fiber Optic,!!! that is challenge
The president and his team are lying no one is going to sign them any thing, this is an election campaign, Mr Rayale planned this ahead the guy is smarter than he looks and sounds.
Poor pro-Somalia Kulmiye, they been sent back to dusty Burco once again.
I second your motion Salma
Whatever he is doing in these countries, he may as well try and learn how to have gutts to face an election and how to be a gracious loser from these foreign politicians 🙂
I hate to hear president Riyaale signin a deal with a foreign compnay, it makes feel sick of evelasting lies. i think this time no one would listen this one big lie ?????!!!!!!!
where are the Berbera projects even his minster told later they were lying and now they will do the same time and again
I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER OPPURTUNITY FOR SOMALILAND SINCE WE NOT GET STILL GET NY RECOGNIZATION FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, IN MY OPINION I SEE DAHIR IS WORKING HARD NO ONE CAN DO WAT HE DONE, EVEN KULMIYE COMMANDERS CAN'T OVERWARM WAT RAYALE DONE.
SILANYO WILL RIDE HIS DONKEY TO CHASE AFTER RAYALE'S HORSE.
i don't see any meaningful deeds done by Riyale's government for those nine or eight years in office and from the beginning i knew it wouldn't. What we have is only peace. peace is not sustainable without constant development. Moreover who expects this government will do what it had not done for all those years in office. They had the best chance but the country is isolated today politically. This trip to Paris is not more than one of his political backs ups that become known whenever elections come into view.
Rayale is useless and has no education what so ever, the only reason people elected him is that Silanyo remains to be a mistery man. No one knows if he will maintain the peace or if he will even keep Somaliland Somaliland. Many Somalilanders as well as the West suspect he might take Somaliland back to Mogadishu.
He needs to come clean if he is to win, this guy is mistery and his policies are zero.
Udub policies are attacking Kulmiye and Kulmiye is vice-versa. We might have democracy but we have no knowledgable leaders in any of the parties.
I really admire the new chairman of the NEC and his work is appreciated.
Also its true alot of Western NGOs are trying to hijack our democracy, people need to find out who they are and in person burn their offices – yes we worked hard for this democracy they should pay highly if they think we are game.
I dont trust world vision, interpeace and the likes.
The title to this article should have been "… flies unexpectedly …" and not "secretly" since he went out walking on the red carpet. You are doing a good job but your editors need some training.
There are only few good and compotent guys in UDUD party such as the aviation minister, minister of livestock, foreign minister (deserves some credit) and finally vice president Ahmed Yasin, he is not a politician but he is a good man with good heart and the way Somaliland welcomed him back from Paris after his treatment was clear. He is a man of the people.
He is good man and honest one, god bless him.
Faysal, if you care to take the job please feel free to apply at somalilandpress@gmail.com.
Thank you
Management
President Rayale knows that he will lose the next election. So he is checking out his villas in Djibouti and France. He has allegedly bought property in France long time ago and in fact his wife Huda Barkhad and some of his children live permanently in France while others live in Britain. It is no secret that he has a big villa in Djibouti too. Ethiopia is our official transit destination so no explanations needed.
He is telling France that his tribe is being forced in taking part of NW Somalia’s secession and that they don't agree with Isaaqs fantasies. U might be the enemy within to them but you are doing your people a huge favour in the long run darling. Go Riyale, Go riyale. Kana sii lacagayso Isaaq bilaa caqli