Feel sorry and feel bad for Puntland's situation. Either Somaliland or Somalia need to change fast really fast. None of the possible roads to peace is guaranteed. None of the roads to prosperity and development is being paved. Sandwitched between hipocrites and merchants. Merchant has no country. He is good where he can set up shop and if not good can just fold his shop and move.

Actually this is quite good from a Somali stand point. 10% of revenue with zero investment from SL is ample. The side business service industry, banking, insurance, shipping..don't forget Ethiopia has a shipping company based in Djibouti that does about 7 billion turnover a year, has about 15 ships, Djibouti started its own last year and also bought shares in the Ethiopian. Somaliland would have its own in a heart beat and this agreement has no effect on it. Not sure that 19% is enough to sway Ethiopia from its addiction to Gheulleh and his willingness to build more ports, example one biult for specifc use of Potash exports. Unless there is regime change in Ethiopia, it is almost impossible to move Ethiopia out of Djibouti. The Eritreans tried bribe, even war could not achieve that. Too much invested in infrastructure Djibouti Ethiopia, too much family ties Afar and Somali of Djibouti with Ethiopia. Basically the agreement is not bad at all. Its quite good. Since DP world is basically Arab Money British business (more than 80 percent of DP world was british company until few years back). Somalilanders are not totally unconnected as Gheuelleh was to Dubai some 20 years ago.

Federation/Union Eritrea - Union Somaliland Eritrea: The British who by accident Eritrea fell on their lap, knew this place is not worth keeping. Maybe Maybe the British can keep Sudan happy by giving it more land western part and make their stooge (Remember they brought him by a coup in Ethiopia) king haileslassie giving him the eastern part will have port and a Tigray clans that are closer to him against the main Tigray clans that have been sore on his thumb. (1942 already the British had to bring 8,000 soldiers and planes from Asmara and Aden for haileslassie to survive the first Weyannie, that is when the name came up and started). USA - Have already agreed behind the british with Haileslassie if they gave him Eritrea he would give them the Italian bases and communication facilities. Dulles was against this. He wanted Eritrea independent under America's influence. USSR - Wanted to have Eritrea independent since would fall into their hands through the Italians communist party which had some branch in Eritrea, but the Russians have the Orthodox and Jewish influence at the highest so would not e end of the world if Eritrea is joined to Ethiopia like confederation. Somaliland: The British foreign office wanted to show respect to Somalis for future considerations, and serving British empire, so Somalilanders had best influence on their future, with one exception. Since Eritreas case was not concluded and the new empires of USSR and USA have taken over the case, the British were not sure to get Haileslassie a port, but they had a port they can give him with little bribing of Somalilanders by land compensation. The Port was Zeila and a 10-20km wide land for access to it. Even the French were OK with this idea, since their preferred sector was the Afar. Unfortunately King Haileslassie was advised by some foreign office friends to refuse this offer and he did so he was given only kilil 5 that was agreed 50 years before to be given back to Ethiopia when the British have no use for it. The Union and immediate failure: Eritrea: The Amhara were so selfish and greedy and too untrusting as always of Tigray, so immediately took over evertything including some factories and followed policy we need ports and land not the people. Eritreans felt betrayed again as it happened by Menelik and started armed struggle 1961. Federation was disolved few months before. Somalis: Someone was so selfish and short sited, excluded all north and suspicious that the conflict was immediate. The northerners split some saying we can recover others saying no we better do something fast. The difference between Somaliland and Eritrea here is there were a lot of small and big powers interested in Eritrea. On the contrary no body was interested in Somaliland except Somalilanders.

Abiy was elected as chair of the party on the 22nd of February, becoming the third chairman of OPDO in a year and five months period. After the resignation of Muktar Kedir in September 2016, Lemma Megerssa assumed the chairmanship of the largest political party in the country. Known for his coherent and informed oratory skills, member of the House of People’s Representatives, Abiy, has been serving as the minister of Science and Technology before he moved to the Oromia regional administration as head the Oromia Urban Development and Planning Office with a vice presidential portfolio. A former army officer turned politician, Abiy is credited for establishing the Information Network Security Agency, in which he served as its founding director for three consecutive years up to 2010. A speaker of Amharic, Oromiffa, Tigrigna and English languages, he came to the chairmanship of the party at a time the region as well as much of the country is being rocked by violence and antigovernment protests. Some social media users in the country have welcomed the new chairman and expressed their support both to him and his new deputy, Lemma Megersa. http://www.thereporterethiopia.com/article/winds-change No wonder the rumours started. He speaks Tigrigna??????????/

Europeans are hesitant. Wait for Somalia or cut losses and move on with Somaliland. Europeans are and have been losing their footing in Djibouti. Even Japan mortal enemy with China wants Europeans out so she can take their place in Djibouti. Oodweyne, On the mark. A small even personality conflict can make it longer. The French still have most influence or glad hands in Africa. There are regimes who cannot breath without France. On the home front the triangle Djibouti Ethiopia Somaliland is still most important. Neutralizing Ethiopia should be ultimate achievement. Even when you start getting recognition, Ethiopia will be the last country in the world to Recognize Somaliland. Every Somalilander with one sand grain knows this for diplomatic purposes and also for the rest of the Somali people. Ethiopia hardly votes in AU, being host country.

Gheulleh had done the ground work in 1999. He signed an areement with Meles (who was in worst shape and utter victim). Ethiopia cannot use another port unless it owns it. Gheulleh knew neither Eritrea nor Somaliland will allow themselves to be owned or confederated to Ethiopia. Where as for him, even if everything blows on the face, he can make confederation with Ethiopia and stop Somaliland on its track. There is no opposition internally for him to do this. He actually stated this few years ago. The only option for Somaliland is to get even ahead of him, which I think is impossible. 20% Ethiopian ownership of Berbera is not going to cut it, if Gheulleh decides Confederation or EU stsyle with Ethiopia.

lol That is the synical view I think. For the Amhara anyone who keeps the kilil system is TPLF stooge and worst yet will be worst than TPLF on them. I think the language issue is the elephant behind all this. Remember 70% of the beaurocracy is Amhara, language advantage.

Its news the Amhara are manufacturing and pushing. Not Oromo sites. What happened is they were travelling in group and holding meetings with their part members in a stadium. The security forces stopped them on the road nad inquired.

Amazingly you are correct. Most of things I read are invetigative. I do not work for any institution or Don. Just general interest. A day will come where you might hold your nose and vote for Ghelleh as best DON in the neighbourhood. lol

Che, Extreme paranioa. But then again Oodweyne will be first one to warn you in HOA extreme paranoia is safe.

Courageous move in deed. Oodweyene, I would have very very weak knees if I were Somalilander. Becareful some of your leaders can be bought and put everything at risk. Here is what brought the ARABS against the Somali/Afar proud nomad. Read carefully: "There was a heated meeting in Dubai in mid-February between Emirati and Djibouti officials where Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the chairman of DP World, said something to the effect that the UAE would "send Djibouti back" to the conditions in which it existed before 2005." Rest assured the stupid arrogant Arab is counting on Eritrea and Somaliland to achieve this. Gheulleh does not need to spend a penny or have a single gun to do this. Ethiopia has survival question. The Egyptians through Eritrea also will do something without spending a penny but sacrificing maybe some soldiers. Egyptian is visiting Somaliland. Sadly I can see this quickly going to engulf more. The Liyu mayhave to pay a visit to your Somaliland. Gheulleh can count on pre-emptive action from Somali kilil and Puntland. That would be a bigger problem for you folks. What ever friends you have in Ethiopia will not amount to anything. Its life and death to the country, plus Ethiopia has some principles money have not broken. They stood with Al Bashir all the years even against America. Amber flashing: shortly will be red for you to stop and green for Djibouti to go.

Thank you. You did not colourized your views. I think you took it seriously when I said you have been entered into the Don's (Don corleone of the GodFather) list. Or Or you are afraid the Don might take your words as official Somaliland.

lol I laughed hard. Somaliland is election American stye that goes on in Ohio, Carolinas, Alabama. Robbery by computer. EPRDF is robbery by placing police every voting booth of some 30,000 which no opposition party can ever think of matching. EPRDF can give away Addis Ababa any time. They did in 2005. But never the remotest village. That is the trick. The opposition cannot go to villages. Opposition cannot find members from 80 languages, but EPRDF can. Ghuelleh is another art. In small Djibouti there are about 6 opposition parties who hate each other than him. That is a trick he copied from EPRDF. Gheulle unlike Isayas distributes also what ever development projects there is. All new ports are being built on Afar side of the sea. There are 32 registered parties in Ethiopia. When EPRDF set the country on new system there were 200. At this rate it will take another 20 years to get 2 or 3 competing parties in Ethiopia.

Tillamook, In politics everything is relevant even the clothes you wear, or the shoes you put on let alone a subject as big as faith and religion. Ethiopians generally speaking are fairly tollerant, but it matters. Its also culture.

Oodweyene, Don't get me wrong. I am against any Somali who advocates for war, who drums up for war, for Greater Somalia. Even if its somebody right to have this Greater Somalia idea or dream, I find it abhorent calling for war everywhere to achieve it, when it has been proven beyond any shadow of doubt that war is the wrong way to go. Every region will remain poor, backward and fall victim to famine if this empty slogan and against humanity at this time is followed. What I liked in the article is the raw information is true for the most part. It was also very funny to show that Puntland had already set up new checkpoint close by the 3rd day. Somaliland did not get any economic gains from this operation, but expenditure. You should be thankful for Puntland. I know you would never be that generous to admit. Even if you could have won at the end, it could have been after much more life and limb. Puntland saved you from contineous enmity and revenge that could come later years.

Oodweyne, Can you spare few moments in analyzing and comparing or disparaging this election?

I could not help but focus on the information that "Puntland just moved and opened another checkpoint for duty and tax collection" That puts clearly that "All wars are economic/bankers wars".

Most fair and closest to truth article I have seen in a long long time. The article lays down the facts and background prefessionally and points out possible solutions at the end. Its rare these days where you get the information clearly first and then you are left to think and can have different conclusions.

The greatest danger of this is that, Puntland can come to the conclusion that: We have spent a generation waiting fr the rest of the regions to put their houses in Order. We have invested life, limb, and even future of our region not moving in one consistent direction, We will temporarily cut all interaction until all regions are in order. Its very dangerous if some other regions also start loosing interest and conviction that SFG can straighten Mogadishu.

That would be most prudent to do, but but lol the government needs to buy time. The way its moving 2 months is ample time. Its already showing signs. What looked like unsurvivable storm is eating itself. Opposition and Ethnics that weeks ago looked united and moving have already started fighting each other. The government is getting a lot of useful information. Amhara are already accusing each other as to who called the strike? Even accusing each other of using the Amhara when its known the Amhara has no chance of coming on top. Example: No investments will go to the areas where burning happend. Business flks have told ANDM this fact. The statement that arrests will continue and arrested will not be realeased those who attacked Ethnics and burned properties of government. It takes a lot of courage or desperation to state this at a time when the wave is to forget the demos.

I have received a lot of hate here and some telling me to go to Tigray lol for simply stating the fact that Mogadishu has and is killing Somalia. If the federal government moved to Baidoa or somewhere central, Mogadishu would be in place and in order in a heart beat. Even starting new city in the middle is practical. The construction boom and every region feeling comfortable and at home in the new city would make competition fair. Everybody would have interest in making it work. Imagine the time life and limb spent since 2006 simply and only in Mogadishu going in circles.

It might take longer. The SNNP central committee has not completed its meeting. Maybe drugging foot and buying time to do some house cleaning is being done. The Americans find this very frastrating, but cannot say openly to hell with rules, go and put a prime minister we agree with. lol Then comes consultation with allies like Somali, Afar, Benshangul, Hareri etc. Regardless of who it is, there will not be an effective one, since the Oromo and Amhara cannot maintain peace and order in their regions. They both are caught between diaspora and internally different regions, tribes.

For the first time ANDM has included in a statement the existance of other Ethnics in Amhara region. It also mentioned the conflicts inside the Amhara region. The diaspora does not want this shown anywhere at all. The diaspora wants to project the image and aura that Amhara region is Amhara Ethnic. This will be a big topic in the diaspora. I see one Amhara organization already condemning the mention and outing of the conflicts. The Amhara government also stated will not release anyone involved in attack of other Ethnics and will compensate those victims. This is mostly for the Qimanti Agew that about 140 were killed. ANDM also stated will correct the illegal occupied lands which again is Qimanti Agew lands. Depending who is selected for PM, if it is not Demeke then Demeke will still be deputy PM. The only one out of the running for PM or deputy PM is Tigray.

Possible reasons motivations: 1. Visist by turkey official and the big base (America, UAE +their allies local) 2. Government going to regulate and tax and control communications and internet technologies (interests) 3. Conflict in south and south west spilling over (local interest +friends) 4. Arrests and intimidations and Galkayo related (old warlords + new interests port)

No that is not any gamble of Ghuelleh. He can run the outfit himself if he wants. Only few years left in the agreement of 20 years. DP is aafter the renewal. DP will loose and I can tell you, DP will also loose Yemen. DP will be left in Eritrea and Somaliland who are not in the dead centre of the gate.