No business without IOG`s protection The Indian Ocean Newsletter March 24, 2012 During the last few weeks, the police have questioned a Saudi Arabian businessman and a local golden boy who until then had been favourites of the presidential couple. The reasons for the police intervention were different in each case. But what they have in common is that the men in question have both lost the political protection they previously had. They were then removed from their pedestal just as quickly as they had been hoisted onto it. Our spotlight on a country where doing business is a veritable minefield. Abou Yasser`s setbacks - The Yemen born businessman based in Saudi Arabia and operating in Djibouti, Cheikh Mohamed Quaid Mohamed Saïd known as Abou Yasser, was finally not able to keep the monopoly of the Centre régional d`exploitation du bétail (CREB – regional centre for the exploitation of livestock) at Dammerjog that he had been running for many years. The Djibouti authorities remembered that its period of tax exemption had expired and impounded certain of its vehicles. They did this to apply pressure on him to accept to share the CREB with a newcomer, the Saudi Cheikh Souleiman al Gabiri, who is represented in Djibouti by Saad Alharithi. However, the latter in fact wanted to oust Abou Yasser entirely and so gain the monopoly of livestock trading between Djibouti and Saudi Arabia. Some observers even believe they intend to co-finance the construction of a livestock port in Djibouti. On 12 March, the Djibouti Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Mohamed Ahmed Awaleh initialled a certificate stating that the company Ideal Quarantine, owned by the Saudi newcomer, “is in charge of managing a part of the CREB… whose area is 275 hectares”. Exit Abou Yasser! The latter may in fact be paying the price for his decision to set up a company in Berbera, Somaliland, in November 2011, to act as a regional livestock quarantine centre in partnership with the local company Indha-Deero owned by the businessman, Abdi Ali Awad (AAA). Djibouti takes a dim view of competition like this. Ali Elmi`s mishaps - The former director of the NGO Nomad Aid and owner of the import-export company MCADjibouti since 1996, Ali Elmi Ahmed has recently spent several nights in the police cells for obtaining bank documents from the bank BRED, the parent company of Banque pour le commerce et l`industrie - Mer Rouge (BCI-MR) with which he was in dispute. Until then, this economic operator had been considered invincible because he is ethnically close to President Ismail Omar Guelleh (IOG). His current problems stem from a conflict against the Member of Parliament Youssouf Moussa Dawaleh, the director of the Djibouti fishing port about a fishing boat that Ali Elmi had purchased using a loan from the BCI-MR but which Youssouf Dawaleh had set his heart on. However, this MP has for a while been under the protection of the First Lady Kadra Mahamoud Haïd. His company Entreprise Dawaleh Construction (EDC) is even believed to have taken over contracts that were previously in the hands of the Independent Construction Co (ICC), the company owned by the presidential couple that closed its doors last year when the President`s daughter, Fatouma-Awo, who had been in charge of it, left the country, moving to Paris to marry an Ivorian. The BOA imbroglio - The Djibouti authorities played only a minor role in the mishaps of Philippe Bouyaud, the recently sacked managing director of Bank of Africa-Mer Rouge (BOA-MR; ION 1328). They did not renew his residence permit which expired on 10 March, obliging him to leave the country three days later. Bouyaud therefore did not last long as Conseiller du commerce extérieur de la France (CCEF), conferred on him in March. For BOA-MR, his sacking is an internal disciplinary matter related to ethics. But according to our sources, Bouyaud is paying the price for deciding internal restructuring without approval of the bank`s board when he appointed Djihad Saïd as sales manager, a post desired by many in the bank, beginning with the consultant Mahamoud Souleiman and his wife, currently the head of the risk assessment service. An incident last year gave the bank an excuse to oust Bouyaud. He and Mahamoud Souleiman had gone on a private trip to Ethiopia in June 2011 in the latter`s car. They had an accident while Bouyaud was driving, who then had the bank pick up the tab for the repairs, claiming that he was on official business. A bad move! © Copyrights 2012 Indigo Publications All Rights Reserved

Djibouti The Indian Ocean Newsletter June 23, 2012 The Two Guys wearing white shirts are President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh`s sons and the girl in the green dress is his daughter The eldest daughter of Ismaïl Omar Guelleh (IOG), Fatouma-Awo is back in Djibouti, together with her new baby boy who was born in France a short while ago and her husband, an Ivorian who goes under the name of Tomy. The head of State did not originally take a very good view of this marriage, but is now reported to be highly attached to his grandson. Fatouma-Awo, for her part, would seem to have decided to resume the activity she had in Djibouti before getting married, namely managing the Independent Construction Corp. (ICC). This firm owned by the presidential family was put into liquidation at the end of 2011 (ION 1332), but it could be revived in a new form with Fatouma-Awo and her husband at the tiller. However, some people should beware, notably the EntrepriseDawaleh Construction (EDC) company owned by the MP Youssouf Moussa Dawaleh, which took over certain construction contracts that ICC had relinquished! © Copyrights 2012 Indigo Publications All Rights Reserved

Somalia: Puntland elders and representatives prepare for constitutional vote 15 Jul 15, 2012 GAROWE, Somalia July 15 2012 (Garowe Online) – Puntland’s traditional elders and their representatives for the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) are getting ready to depart to Mogadishu to begin the constitutional conference, Garowe Online reports. The UN Special Representative to Somalia, Augustine Mahiga met with Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole to discuss how to conclude the Roadmap on schedule in spite of delays in the constitutional vote. Puntland President Dr.Farole met with UN representative Ambassador Mahiga in Garowe Photo (Garowe Online) Ambassador Mahiga and President Farole both spoke to the press after the meeting in Garowe on Friday, a day after the constitutional vote by the 825 members of the NCA was supposed to convene in Mogadishu. President Farole said he and Ambassador Mahiga agreed that Puntland would exert effort to speeding up the Roadmap so it is completed on schedule. I and the Ambassador who visited us in Garowe, agreed that Puntland would assist in speeding up the process so we can move out of a transitional government,” said President Farole. The two officials also discussed the selection of a fair and representative parliament who will be chosen by the traditional elders later this month. “Similarly we agreed that making the selection and election of the members of the new parliament as transparent, representative and democratic as possible. This is an area that we reached great unanimity,” said Ambassador Mahiga. Puntland officials who spoke to GO said that the traditional elders in Puntland had already completed and submitted their list of NCA representatives from the regions of Puntland. However there have been delays in the selection of the NCA by traditional elders stationed in Mogadishu which was addressed by leaders. Puntland traditional elders also Met with Mahiga Photo (Garowe Online) Transitional Federal Government (TFG) leaders held an urgent meeting with traditional elders to request that the elders submit their selection in order to disprove reports that allege that traditional elders in Mogadishu are withholding their selection in attempt to vie for more political power. Additional reports from Mogadishu say that many traditional elders want to amend the proposed constitution before the NCA cast their vote on it. Despite statements by Governor of Banadir region Mahamud Ahmed (Tarzan) and traditional elders to amend the constitution before it is voted on, TFG State Minister for the Constitution Abdirahman Hoosh Jibril has repeated that the constitution will be voted on the NCA and it is their vote which will decide whether or not it will be amended. GAROWE ONLINE

It's great now that the International Community is supporting Puntland's vision for Peace and Statehood and that it seems that they're serious now and putting an end to the 21 years of meaninglessness existence of some who wanted it to be continued.

Puntland is showing them the way they who don't have a solution to their problem attack it and form unnatural alliances together in order to defeat the call of Puntland to Statehood the way it sees it with the current roadmap and constitution all they could do is say Puntland is this and that but what can they do? Nothing.

Puntland worked tirelessly for a Somali State to be erected and is marching in front pulling all other Somalis along them with great restraint.

Puntland is responsible and should be seen that they're head and shoulders above those who don't like nationhood or being answerable.

Exactly for this reason and delay Mogadishu should not be the capital of Somalia in its current form as it wants to keep a whole nation hostage just because of its status because the process seems 'unfair' or not to their likening funny however if they're threaten how quickly they change their tune and get into the line.

Puntland oo todobaadka soo socda soo direysa Ergadii iyo Odoyaashii dhaqanka Posted by Pi on July 14th, 2012 Garowe(Pi) Sida aan xog hoose ku helney waxaa la diyaarinayaa safarka Ergooyinka ay Puntland usoo xushey Ansixinta Dastuurka, waxayna jka dib u safrayaan Magaalada Muqdisho maalmaha soo socda iyagoo ay weheliyaan koox Odoyaal dhaqameed ah. Kulankii shalay dhexmarey Madaxweynaah Dowlada Puntland dr. cabdiraxmaan Sheikh Faroole iyo Danjire Mahiga ayaa Madaxweyne Dr. Faroole hoosta ka xariiqey in Puntland ay dadajineyso qaybta kaga aadan dhameystirka Roadmapka. Puntland waxay horey u gudbiyeen Liiska Ergada ansixineysa Dastuurka iyo Xubnaha Xildhibaanada ay soo xuleen Odoyaal dhaqameedyada Puntlandm, waxaana hada la diyaarinayaa Ergadii iney Muqdisho tagaan sida ugu dhakhsaha badan, waxaa kaloo weheliya qaybo ka mid ah Gudiyadii ay horey u sameeyeen Lixda Saxiixayaasha qaybtii Puntland laga sugayay. Madaxweyne Faroole iyo Danjire Mahiga kulankoodii shalay(Jamce 13-07-2012) wuxuu ku saabsanaa dardar galinta Roadmapka iyo wada tashi ku aadan ansixinta Dastuurka, waxayna labada Masuul isla meel dhigeen in ay waxwalba hada u socdaan sidii loogu tala galay iyo sidii looga shaqayn lahaa sidii loo dhamaystiri lahaa inta dhiman. Labada Masuul waxay kaloo isla meel dhigeen ayna garowsadeen in ay dhici karaan dib udhac yar oo ku yimaada sidii wax loo qorshaynayay sababao farsamo owgeed, balse aysan wax shakiya ka qabin sida wax u socdaan, ayna ku kalsoon yihiin Howl wadeenada wada shaqada dhamaystirka xiliga kala guurka oo uu hormuud u yahay Wasiirka Dastuurka Cabdiraxmaan Xoosh Jabriil. Puntlandi.com

Puntland will send its tranditional elders together with their share of the 825 delegates to Mogadishu next week inshaallaah as it's satisfied with the Constitution and its process under the leadership of Minister Cabdiraxmaan Xoosh Jibriil.

21st of July is the set day if nothing happens by then it will be moved to Puntland Garowe.

Their reactions as usual: The traditional elders speaking to the press said that they would work to resolve the issues so the constitutional vote which has been delayed for a second time.

What a bunch of uneducated ****** funny enough this Elders are those representing Mogadishu clans and other anti peace and irrational groups.

Charge held against them: There were reports that a group of the traditional elders were withholding the names of the NCA in what seems to be a political move to gain more influence in the upcoming government.

The above meaning if you don't get your act together the rumours of you being false Elders that do nbot rerperesent the Somali clans becomes true i.e. they're Elders working for their own benefit rather than of their clans and Nation which is to get out of the Transition by August 20th. They're told they will be get rid of if they don't act quickly.

Word for word: “We requesting that the list of the NCA be submitted so the rumors that the traditional elders selected are not elders that represent the Somali clans,” said President Sharif.

So President Sharif, Prime Minister Abdiwali and Speaker Sharif Aden go up to the Elders and give them a signal and warning meaning that there will be another venue and Elders for the process and get rid of those currently if they do not finish all the 825 delegates for the NCA.

So far only 75% of the 825 have been selected for the National Constitutional Assembly.

Somalia: TFG officials meet with elders over delays 14 Jul 14, 2012 MOGADISHU, Somalia Jul 14 2012 (Garowe Online) – Transitional Federal Government President (TFG) Sheikh Sharif Ahmed met with the traditional elders after delays in the constitutional vote, Garowe Online reports. TFG's top ranking officials met with the traditional elders in Mogadishu, to reach a resolution on the selection of the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) who will vote on the constitution. Traditional elders at the meeting said that they selected 75% of the 825 members of the NCA which were supposed to convene on Thursday. President Sharif was accompanied by Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas, Speaker of Parliament Shairf Hassan Sharif Adan and other TFG ministers who met with elders in Mogadishu and requested that the complete the selection of the NCA. “We requesting that the list of the NCA be submitted so the rumors that the traditional elders selected are not elders that represent the Somali clans,” said President Sharif. There were reports that a group of the traditional elders were withholding the names of the NCA in what seems to be a political move to gain more influence in the upcoming government. The traditional elders speaking to the press said that they would work to resolve the issues so the constitutional vote which has been delayed for a second time. There are also unconfirmed reports saying that the NCA conference will convene by the 21st of July. GAROWE ONLINE

It has done it in 1997/98, numerous time after that it is capable of hosting all not only limited to Somalia

This images show that Puntland is capable of hosting the 825 delegates together with the Elders who will select those and the Parliamentarians who will then elect a new post transition leadership for Somalia.