President of the Republic of Djibouti Ismail Omar Gelle received Abdikhadir Ahmed Aw Ali Firdhiye, leader of the SSC Khatumo administration, at the presidential palace of Djibouti.
President Gelle and Leader Firdhiye discussed the general situation in SSC-Khatumo, peace and stability in the region, and the near-term goals of rebuilding economic infrastructure and social services.
Leader Firdhiye, who is on a working visit to Djibouti, expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome extended by the Djibouti people and government to the SSC-Khatumo delegation. According to a statement from the SSC administration, he praised the Djibouti government’s role in building the Somali government and enhancing regional security cooperation.
President Gelle stated that Djibouti is a central and beloved nation among the Somali people.
Sool, Sanaag, and Ayn regions (collectively known as SSC-Khatumo) had previously accused the Djibouti government of involvement in the conflict in Las Anod, an allegation denied by Djibouti’s Minister of Finance, Ilyas Musa Dawaleh.
However, Firdhiye’s visit to Djibouti highlights the political conflict between Somaliland and Djibouti over the recent memorandum of understanding between Somaliland and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi accused Ethiopia of hosting members of the Awdal State Movement (ASM), which opposes Somaliland’s self-declared independence and advocates for the unity of Greater Somalia.
In response, Djibouti refuted President Muse Bihi’s accusation, affirming that Djibouti will always remain a beacon of regional dialogue and not a source of regional fragmentation.
