Djibouti president visits Ethiopia amid uncertainty in Horn of Africa

Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh is received by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed at the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa on March 27, 2022. PHOTO | OFFICE OF ETHIOPIA PM

ADDIS ABABA - Ismail Omar Guelleh, the Djibouti strongman, landed at Bole International Airport in Ethiopia on Sunday for a two-day working trip amid political and security uncertainty in the Horn of Africa for the last two years.

Embattled Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed welcomed Guelleh at the airport amid conflict within the Tigray region of the Horn of Africa nation. The Ethiopian troops have been at loggerheads with Tigray militia since November 2020.

“I welcome my brother Ismail Guelleh President of the Republic of Djibouti, to his second home,” Dr. Abiy said in a message he posted on his Twitter page shortly after Guelleh’s arrival

Media reports indicate that the two leaders are expected to hold talks on bilateral, national, and regional issues of common concern.

“I look forward to our fruitful discussions on issues of common interest over the next two days,” the Ethiopian PM added.

The two neighboring countries have a long-standing history of cultural and historical ties and have joint investments and agreements in infrastructure, including rail, road, water, telecom, and electricity.

Last month, the two leaders also met for discussions. Ethiopia heavily relies on the Port of Djibouti for imports and exports but there have been talks that Addis Ababa could be courting Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia.

Earlier this month, the defense chiefs of Ethiopia and Djibouti reached an agreement to work on security, education, training, and peacekeeping jointly, the East African reports.

Besides Ethiopia, there is also political uncertainty in Somalia, which is yet to conclude Lower House and presidential elections, a year later. Omar Guelleh has been portraying himself as an alternative leader within the Horn of Africa.

GAROWE ONLINE