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News Analysis: Djibouti president sworn in for new five-year term

Xinhua, May 9, 2016 Adjust font size:

Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh was officially sworn in on Sunday for a new five year term, following his victory over five other candidates in the April 9 presidential elections.

The swearing ceremony in the Djibouti capital was attended by several regional leaders, among them, Rwanda President Paul Kagame, Sudanese President Omar El Bashir, Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn as well as delegations from friendly countries.

Also in attendance was Yan Junqi, the special representative of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Yan is also the vice-chairwoman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

"I begin this term with the spirit of service, and the idea of working for every Djiboutian," Guelleh said after being sworn in for his fourth term.

"We shall put all our energies and all our convictions in achieving structural projects that are necessary for our growth today and tomorrow," Guelleh said.

The president said "development infrastructures are not only the means for us to achieve prosperity, but they are also the means that will enable our continent to start trading within itself, and hence achieve inclusive and lasting growth."

In his speech, Guelleh equally deplored the fact that "the Muslim world and Arab nations are currently confronted with unprecedented divisions."

He insisted on the need to embrace values of "tolerance, moderation, generosity and openness to others," which he said "had helped Djibouti to avoid dangers related to extremism."

Born on Nov. 27, 1947 within the Ethiopian territory of Dire-Dawa, Guelleh who served as the chief of staff for a long time in his predecessor's office, was elected president for the first time in 1999.

He hailed the strategic position of his country, which is situated between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, and which today hosts numerous foreign military bases involved in the fight against terrorism and maritime piracy.

The president's policies as he begins a new term in this young Eastern Africa nation that attained independence in 1977, will include attracting foreign investments with a series of large scale infrastructure projects such as ports, airports, a new railway line and pipelines.

The policy of putting up large scale infrastructure projects has boosted the country's economy which has been recording positive growth for a number of years. The International Monetary Fund forecast late last year that Djibouti's economy would grow 6.5 percent in 2016. Endit