Djabouti African Regional Express [DARE] Initiative Conference

[Che -Guevara]

A joint conference by Somali and Djibouti Telecom Ministries involving all Somali telecom companies in the near future.

 

Why do I get the feeling this is becoming OPEC cartel?

[Old_Observer]

Djibouti will be the Luxumberg, Leitchenstein, Dubai, Hongkong, Singapore..of Africa

 

Their security is guaranteed by current empires and even next empires.

They have the most hightech port in Africa

They soon will have two separate rail link with Ethiopia

The base rental income is clear cash that Djibouti does not have to lift a pen to get it and its big. Its rumoured that Saudi Arabia offered an amount of money more than the Americans, Chinese and Germans pay combined, still with strict condition that the base will not be used for activities in Yemen.

 

Everything is looking up and up with very little risk from Eritrea and a competition if successful from Somaliland and Puntland.

 

[Che -Guevara]

Ministry of Telecom organizing conference for Djiboutian, Somali telecom operators

[galbeedi]

OO, 

 

Unlike you, we have families in Djibouti and we are very familiar what they can offer or not. Of course they have a deep sea port, oil terminals other logistics and  including a train connecting to Ethiopia. The traffic is 95% to Ethiopia and the ports serve only EThiopia. 

 

Since nineteen eighties Djibouti never had one single airline owned by Djibouti. In fact it was served by crappy airlines like Daalo, Jubba airways and others created by Somalis after the collapse of Somali airline. In 2011, while I was leaving the airport I saw this huge 737 airplane with logo of " Republic De Djibouti". when I asked people the plane they told me that it belongs to the fat dictator, and one he is not using he parks the plane in South Africa. My friend, modern capitalism needs modern work force and tribal connections and nepotism will cut it. Within two years of peace Kismaayo or Boosaaso or Mogadishu will have better services both in continental trade, airlines ans shipping cargo.

 

The Somali minister was saying that Somali mail could be transpotryed through Djibouti. THat is very strange indeed. If you have Mogadishu, Berbera, Boosaaso and Kismaayo, why you need a third country to use for your deliveries.

 

The somali telecoms of today are already huge which affects the daily life of everyone. Imagine, Dahabshiil has a bank and money transfer business. At the same time , they have money exchange outlets that sets the exchange rate, they also, have Sometel telecom company that provides telephone and internet with a Djibouti owned company called SomCable. THese people have hundred of millions of cash plus huge assets. In Somaliland, they hire and fire ministers.

 

Djibouti is working hard to keep the monopoly. That city/country is the most expensive island in the world. with $1000 a month, you can not survive to pay even the electric bill which goes hundreds of dollars. You out ten dollars to call local people or Borama and within few minutes it all finished. LOcal people go outside city limit and try to use the Telecom towers in Lawyacado to make international calls.

 

Djibouti is were most political money is laundered . Most of the money that comes from the gulf is deposited through Salaama Bank and  Dahabshiil bank. 

 

You guys probably heard that Muuse Biixi is pushing through so many entities to restart the Somalia_Somaliland negotiations. My sources told me that he even said that he will not withdraw from Tukaraq unless these negotiations restart.

 

He talked to Geelle who told him to give him some time, his foreign minister went to Addis to meet the Somali foreign minister, and even pushed Mikael Keating. If you were asking yourself ,why they are pushing to meet?, there is only one answer, Business and money. They want to get a hefy percentage from the money donated to  Somalia from donor nations, and these days some of that money must go through the Somali government.

 

My source told me that the man who is doing the connection is Mr. Maareeye, the East Burco and Damujadiid member who was appointed to ministry of commerce few weeks ago. As we speak, Biixi is broke and he is looking for a cash. also, donors are saying that since capacity building is already over in Somaliland, the next resources must be given to either Somalia or the new regions like HirShabeele, Jubba and Galmudug. 

 

It seems everyone is about business including Farmaajo , yet the losers will be the public. Somalia does not need Djibouti to enhance its own telecom infrastructure. There are local players who do the job easily. 

 

Anyway, a time will come to reduce the monopoly and the power of the telecom who want to create a huge cartel stretching all the way to Djibouti

 

 

[Old_Observer]

galbeedi,

With all that, you just have to give it to the man his admiration. In my view corruption is something that is unavoidable. You can only minimize it.

When money comes faster than it can be absorbed by the system, somebody is going to grab it, as in Ethiopia.

 

This mobile business is as you said most dangerous in Africa. Its money printing business only one step lower than a bank. Now maybe too late for Somalia since the companies are too strong, maybe they have their own army, but the government can force regulations and make them fight each other.

 

Djibouti is not a place for industry, so its ok if the people are relaxed and taking it easy. As for the man, he is now past the Somali areas in Ethiopia. He is investing in Agriculture in western Ethiopia near the Saudi farms. That is smart for himself a monopoly on food and for djibouti a somewhat guaranteed food supply.

 

Over all he is the best of all Somali heads of state, governments etc. Iley is doing much with less in terms of education, health and infrastructure.

BTW the Habeshi in Djibouti are fast becoming third Ethnic there. The Habeshi from north are accepted by both the Somali and Afar and can grow fast with all the service industry needed for all the armies.

 

 

Kismayo would have been king of all ports, since Ethiopian population close to it is really big and would not require big money to build roads between two countries. The unfortunate thing is Kismayu has most enemies starting from Djibouti to Kenya every port in between is now against Kismayu. I am not sure how much the locals understand this and make arrangement even if its against Mogadishu but makes their area peaceful and open for business.

 

What do you think the amount of time and energy the SFG spends specifically in and about Mogadishu while the rest of the country is growing inpatient.