Jeune Afrique: In an exclusive interview-with H.E Ismael Omar Guelleh 16 February 2015, I felt so proud of the diplomatic way every single question has been measured and pragmatically answered.
With in that interview that I have saved and read more than hundred times I saw my president differently and through all this years he has been in power plus all the gossips and hatred which circulates with in Djibouti citizens and the wrong perceptions that some times my self use to get from the president, that interview really changed everything.
The Jeune Afrique interview really enlightened not only my views and perceptions as I believe because it shows how dedicated is our president always looking forward for the well being of its country by always undertaking what is right for his people and that they could benefit from. I felt so overwhelmed with-pride and joy to the answer he gave when this specific question was asked;
“Les intérêts chinois sont très présents à Djibouti. Que répondez-vous à ceux qui vous accusent de vous être endetté au-delà du raisonnable auprès de Pékin?
Qu’il s’agit d’une crainte infondée. Les Chinois sont les seuls qui, avant d’investir, ne vous demandent ni votre bilan ni votre carte d’identité. Prenez le cas du nouveau chemin de fer avec l’Éthiopie. Le FMI a dépêché ici pas moins de trois missions pour nous dire de ne pas signer avec la Chine sous prétexte d’endettement excessif. Que nous proposait-il en échange? Rien. Entre ce rien prétendument vertueux et le développement d’infrastructures vitales, ma décision a été vite prise.”
Not only this shows his sages side of decision taking when the IMF was urging not to sign Peking investment. My brave president did the opposite of what IMF was suggesting because he saw that empty hands offers nothing which was the IMF case asking not to sign offering no alternative visible choices despite that such IMF hypocrisy of care has handicapped so many African leaders countries but my brave president didn’t fall into that trap in which IMF assumed caring more about Djibouti than IOG himself.
Djibouti is a great country with a beautiful soul and what makes the soul of the country to be so unique and pure are its leaders and Ismael Omar Guelleh undertook Hassan Gouled Aptidon role by taking Djibouti beyond.
ADEN ABDI DAHER
