(MENAFN- Somali Land Sun) Lukewarm handshake between presidents Farmajo and Gelle of Somalia and Djibouti
Somalilandsun - Since 1991 Djibouti has played an important role in the Somalia political and security Arenas.
Apart from infusion of funds to various administrations since then to date Djibouti also maintains a large number of troops in Somalia for purposes of propping the Alshabaab militants embattled Federal Government in Mogadishu.
With a such a lengthily engagement in Somalia, the president f Djibouti Ismail Omar Gelle was an important player in the international efforts directed towards reviving the collapsed country.
But in the recent past this influence has waned considerably following Somalia's rapprochement with both Ethiopia and Eritrea.
This engagement has seen President Mohamed Abdilahi Farmajo of Somalia became a regular guest at dinner tables in Ethiopia and Eritrea hosted by Prime Ahmed Abiy and President Isaias Afeworki respectively
For President Ismail Gelle , Ethiopia is not the issue for his bone of contention is the direction taken by President Farmajo in Eritrea which is Djibouti's nemesis.
This two neighbouring Horn of Africa countries have been at loggerheads for years, involving regular armed battles.
An embrace of friendship btw presidnts Afeworki and Farmajo of Eritrea and Somalia
The most hurting act by President Farmajo since hooking up with President Afeworki was the supported Somalia gave towards lifting of UN arms embargo on Eritrea.
According to a BBC somali Service Report the expectations that Djibouti as usual shall be consulted by the international community on issues Somalia has waned not to mention the political, security and diplomatic changes taking place in the Horn region of which Djibouti is not a player but spectator while Somalia is playing midfield.
Speaking to BBC somali Service in Mogadishu on the 17th November 2018, Djibouti's envoy to Somalia Dr Adan Hasan Adan ,Said ' We expected Somalia to vehemently oppose the lifting of sanctions against Eritrea but to our surprise our Somalia brothers acted contrary'
To Djibouti this was a very painful bone to swallow for large parcels of its land is currently occupied by Eritrea, said Amb Adan While stressing that its nemesis now freed of sanctions is in a legal position to acquire weapons to wage war on Djibouti and its people.
According to the diplomat, while the dilly dallying between presidents Farmajo and Afeworki was painful the support towards ensuring that Eritrea is free of its lengthily UN imposed arms embargo was salt to injury.
Amb Adan Hasan says the Eritrean embrace with Somalia is a painful pill for Djibouti to swallow
The breakdown in relations between the two former Cosy pals became overt during a visit by the Somalia head of state to Djibouti where the host President Gelle refused to hold a joint post meeting press conference with the visiting President Farmajo.
While the level of this diplomatic and political deterioration is yet to accurately gauged, a twitter account managed in Mogadishu has in the recent past attacked and continuously President Ismail Gelle for allegedly opposing ongoing rapprochement in the Horn of Africa region
According to views expressed through the Mogadishu managed twitter account said to be supported , covertly by the Federal Government of Somalia the changes in the Horn region which Djibouti feels left out is good for the region where political and security turbulence has over the years marred any meaningful Development thus never ending suffering by Residents all over.
After all is said and while the geo political realignments in the Horn region initiated by PM Abiy of Ethiopia are for the better if sustained it is not only Djibouti which has been left out for next door in Somaliland former glory in Addis Ababa is currently an untenable but much wished for dream.
An Original Hornnewspaper publication
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