INTERVIEW: Djibouti president stresses importance of preserving peace in ‘sensitive’ Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region

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Updated 27 November 2022
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INTERVIEW: Djibouti president stresses importance of preserving peace in ‘sensitive’ Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region

• No alternative to Saudi Arabia’s leading role in region, Ismail Omar Guelleh tells Arab News en Francais

• French military cooperation treaty expiring this year will be renewed, he reveals

• Our people are ready to defend ourselves against Al-Shabab, stresses the president

DJIBOUTI: The president of Djibouti has lauded Saudi Arabia’s efforts to protect and ensure the safety of transportation and prevent “interventions” from sabotaging security of transportation along the “very sensitive” area of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

In an exclusive interview, Ismail Omar Guelleh told Arab News en Francais that efforts to hold an upcoming summit of the Council of Arab and African Countries of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in Saudi Arabia was the result of an initiative led by the Kingdom,  and that these efforts have been welcomed strongly by his country.

“This is a translation of the Kingdom’s seriousness, and the role it is playing in this area. Internationally, it will be a great representative for peace in the region and the world,” he said.




In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh praised Saudi Arabia’s efforts to ensure security in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. (AN photo by Abdullah Al-Jaber)

The council, which consists of eight countries, was originally announced in Riyadh in January 2020, prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The member states of the council are: Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Yemen.

Announcing the news at the time, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said that Riyadh “is very keen to coordinate and cooperate with the member states of this council, to face these challenges and the risks that surround us from every side.”
The Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden are two of the world’s busiest shipping routes connecting Europe to Asia and the Middle East.

In the wide-ranging interview, President Guelleh also spoke about the devastating consequences of the Houthi actions in Yemen, which has resulted in the overthrow of the legitimate UN-backed government and a war which has now entered its seventh year.

“Djibouti fell victim because we have received a very large number of Yemeni refugees, and if it were not for the contribution, support and solidarity of the Saudi government, headed by King Salman, the situation would have been truly exacerbated by the behavior of Houthis, who have completely destroyed the country and have posed risks to maritime peace and security,” he said.


COUNTRY PROFILE

How Djibouti emerged as a commercial and strategic crossroads of the world


Host to a number of foreign military bases, Djibouti is remarkably home to both the US and Chinese armed forces in the Horn of Africa. It also hosts Japanese and Spanish troops and a diminishing French presence.

Whether or not Djibouti will renew a military treaty with Paris is unclear, with some observers considering this a sign of a deteriorating relationship, something Guelleh denies.

“The relations between Djibouti and France date back to the 19th century. The signed treaty expires this year; we will renew it,” he said. “We are in the process of working with the legal experts. However, there is no position to be taken because we are ... as we say in our country, a husband and his wife are never friends nor enemies.”

President Guelleh also warned of the consequences of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, saying that it has reached the point “where it risks having nuclear consequences” and that he believes that “neither Russia nor Ukraine will come out of it as winners.”

The following is a translation of the interview which was conducted in both French and Arabic:


Q: Talk to us about the strategic value of the planned Summit of the Arab and African countries of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and what it seeks to achieve?

A: Indeed, this summit is the result of a Saudi initiative because it has been too long. The Red Sea strategy is clear and after what happened in Yemen and the foreign forces interventions, and as you know, the Bab Al-Mandab Strait is very important for international security, the security of Arabs and all countries, and it is their responsibility as well.

This initiative was launched by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We welcomed it and for the first time the summit will be held, God willing, in Jeddah and the foreign ministers have prepared for it. This is a translation of the Kingdom's seriousness, and the role it is playing in this area. Internationally, it will be a great representative for peace in the region and the world.

Q: What are the hopes and aspirations of the planned summit for the region and for Djibouti specifically?

A: The results will be strengthening and assuming the international responsibility that falls on the neighboring countries … because you have with you NATO, certainly the institution that assumes responsibility for the safety of transportation and navigation in the world.

Q: Many of the participating countries, especially on the African side, do not get along among each other. How will there be security coordination and will conflicts be put to one side to achieve the goals of the council?

A: The only country that enjoys good relations with all the countries of this region is Saudi Arabia. And it is responsible for being the player and the only force that defends the opinion and the initiative, and provides the services to build peace between Port Said, Bab Al-Mandab and the Gulf of Aden, and prevent the satanic interventions that always seek to sabotage peace in this sensitive region.

Q: But how will you coordinate among yourselves to prevent piracy and impacting global energy shipments? Will we see a unified force in the Red Sea for example?

A: I think that it would be appropriate to think and we will discuss attending the next summit to put things into perspective. Let each one assume their responsibilities. What can we achieve for the population and the whole world? The transition from this phase for the global navigation against all forms of terrorism or piracy that can emerge in the region. That is why we should demonstrate or look into how we can, in a collegial manner, address any external threats we might face.

 Q: Moving on to Yemen, how has the seven-year war impacted you so far and do you see the current truce prevailing?

A: As you know, Yemen is a country that is very close to Djibouti. It is 20 km away from here. And Yemen was a victim of what happened in Syria, of what happened in Libya, and what certain Arab states were truly the victims of: Some sort of conspiracy targeting Arab unity. And the Yemeni people were lured by another evil or another conspiracy, another blow, if you will, that came from a country outside the region.

Djibouti fell victim because we have received a very large number of Yemeni refugees, and if it were not for the contribution, support and solidarity of the Saudi government, headed by King Salman, the situation would have been truly exacerbated by the behavior of Houthis, who have completely destroyed the country and have posed risks to maritime peace and security.




Yemenis displaced by rampaging Houthis fetch water at the UNHCR refugee camp in Obock, Djibouti on March 26, 2016. (AFP file photo)

However, they have failed, as the vigilance of the international forces, namely the Saudi forces, prevented them from doing so. The attempts to block this route and create insecurity and prevent the guarantees from working in good conditions … if it were not for Saudi Arabia, we would not have this peace in this corridor.

Q: Does your position regarding the war against Ukraine stem from the same position which is supporting legitimate governments and opposing attacking another country’s sovereignty? How has that war impacted you?

A: You know, it is very far away. Ukraine is very far away from us. We have, since the beginning, declared our position, considering that the heavy shelling that is hitting civilian populations is not a solution and cannot be a solution. However, with what is happening, what is needed is dialogue and consultations, there is no other alternative.

The destruction continues to the point where it risks having nuclear consequences in this region. Neither Russia nor Ukraine will come out of it as winners and we will have in our region — even if it (the war) is happening far away — consequences that might affect us. However, up until now we have not been affected by any repercussions.

Q: Djibouti hosts military bases for opposing world powers, how do you manage these relationships and the conflicting interests of these countries? And what is the mechanism to regulate the presence of foreign troops in your country?

A: We have not yet had any complaints coming from the countries that have deployed some Armaments and are conducting exercises in our country. One should always look for the reasons behind everything.

The main reason of the US presence, which started after the incident (in 2002) of the American ship (USS Cole) that was the target of an attack in Aden, which was launched by Al-Qaeda in the region, and the fight against terrorism. The first one was our contribution toward fighting international terrorism. This is what motivated the US presence in Djibouti.

After that, the Japanese also wanted to come and they have measured the dangers facing their fleets, their commercial fleets in particular, in the regions of Somalia, the Gulf of Aden. They have also asked us to deploy a plane so they can monitor the coasts, even though we, economically, do not have the capabilities to assume all these responsibilities.




Chinese troops attend the opening ceremony on August 1, 2017, of China's new military base in Djibouti, the Asian superpower's first overseas naval base. (AFP)

We participated by providing them with a space allowing them to secure international navigation and international peace, our share of the responsibility. Then there was China, which also, for the first time in its existence, had a platform and a military presence in Djibouti. These countries are big countries. However, they do not have any problems among themselves in regard to their presence in Djibouti and that is why everything is going well.

Q: But how will changing global geopolitics impact you? For example, do you fear a US-China confrontation because of Taiwan? What if you were asked to choose a side?

A: We have not even considered this. It is linked and they are fighting there, in Taiwan, in the South China Sea. However, the battleground is not here. The war zone is not here and it is not nearby either. That is why there is no fear, in my opinion. There is no fear of a confrontation between China and the US in Djibouti, I do not think so. It is something that God decides, it is not up to us to decide it.

Q: There seems to be a diminishing French military presence here. Word is that the military cooperation treaty between you and Paris might not be renewed. How do you see the future of your relationship with France?

A: The relations between Djibouti and France date back to the 19th century. The signed treaty expires this year. We will renew it, we are in the process of working with the legal experts, all these people.




French troops take part in a two-week military training in the desert in Ali Sabieh, Djibouti, on January 30, 2021. (AFP)

However, there is no position to be taken because we are ... as we say in our country, a husband and his wife are never friends nor enemies. This is the metaphor that illustrates that we can be angry at each other but we are very committed in our relations. We are not planning to have problems with them. It is like a family, in a way. We might fight sometimes. However, it is not a big deal.

Q: But it is that French military presence, as well as the American one, that has driven the terrorist group Al-Shabab to threaten your country directly. Doesn’t this worry you? What measures have you taken to defend yourself?

A: We were victims of an attack in 2014. Some people lost their lives and others were injured (a reference to the 2014 suicide attack on a restaurant that killed three foreigners). Our services only have one purpose now, which has always been to defend ourselves, we are here to defend ourselves. There is no problem. They can say whatever they want but our people are ready.

Q: You have always stood against extremist views and perhaps this is something in common with the current reforms in Saudi Arabia. Tell me how are the changes of the Kingdom seen in your country?

A: We have been waiting for this initiative for a long time and now, with the initiative of the crown prince and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, we are heading in the right direction. And our true religion, centrism and moderation, for a long time we have lived in Djibouti with this belief with ease.

However, the takfiris are seeking to turn half of the Muslims to infidels and expel them from the religion without mercy, without tolerance, and without any respect for Muslim women.

All of this created hatred among Muslims. We welcome and have welcomed moderation with our brothers in the Kingdom; the leadership and the people alike. It is in the best interests of the ummah, Arabs and Muslims, and to Islam all over the world.

Q: Apart from the religious aspect, how does Vision 2030 impact you? How do you see the Saudi-Djibouti relationship developing?”

A: Going back in time, since our independence and to this day, Saudi Arabia has always supported and helped us in development, and we always consult and coordinate with Saudi Arabia in various fields, from security to the Saudi Fund. I mean, we are very satisfied and we want to continue on this path while there is no alternative to the Kingdom’s leading role in the region.

 


US concerned by reports of North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia

Updated 16 October 2024
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US concerned by reports of North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia

WASHINGTON: The United States is “concerned” by reports of North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia in Ukraine, a White House spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this week accused North Korea of transferring personnel to Russia’s armed forces, saying his intelligence agencies had briefed him on “the actual involvement of North Korea in the war” in Ukraine.
The Kremlin has dismissed the allegation as “fake news.”
White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said the involvement of North Korean troops in Ukraine, if true, would mark a significant increase in the North Korea-Russia defense relationship.
“Such a move would also indicate a new level of desperation for Russia as it continues to suffer significant casualties on the battlefield in its brutal war against Ukraine,” Savett said in a statement.
Washington says North Korea has supplied Russia with ballistic missiles and ammunition. Moscow and Pyongyang have denied arms transfers but have vowed to boost military ties, possibly including joint drills.
The US Army’s Indo-Pacific commander, General Charles Flynn, told an event in Washington that North Korean personnel being involved in the conflict would allow Pyongyang to get real-time feedback on its weapons, something that had not been possible in the past.
“That’s different because they are providing capabilities and – open source reporting – there’s manpower that is also over there,” he said at the Center for a New American Security.
“That kind of feedback from a real battlefield to North Korea to be able to make adjustments to their weapons, their ammunition, their capabilities, and even their people – to me, is very concerning,” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un when he visited Pyongyang in June, and said it included a mutual assistance clause under which each side agreed to help the other repel external aggression.
 


Harris mocks Trump after rally turns into bizarre dance-a-thon

Updated 16 October 2024
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Harris mocks Trump after rally turns into bizarre dance-a-thon

WASHINGTON: Kamala Harris spent much of Tuesday questioning Donald Trump’s mental state and fitness for office after the 78-year-old Republican’s latest televised town hall veered into a surreal, impromptu music session.
“Hope he’s okay,” the Democratic candidate posted on X.
Harris’s campaign, which has begun to aggressively challenge Trump on his health and mental stability, said that he appeared “lost, confused, and frozen on stage” during the Monday event.
Former president Trump defended the event in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania, saying it was “so different.”
“It was amazing! The Q and A was almost finished when people began fainting from the excitement and heat,” Trump posted on his Truth Social network.
“We started playing music while we waited, and just kept it going. So different, but it ended up being a GREAT EVENING!“
He hit out at Vice President Harris, who released a White House medical report at the weekend that said she was fit for the highest office and challenged Trump to do the same.
“With all of the problems that she has, there is a real question as to whether or not she should be running for President! MY REPORT IS PERFECT — NO PROBLEMS!!!” Trump wrote.
For about half an hour, the event in Oaks near Philadelphia was standard fare ahead of the November 5 election, as Trump took friendly questions from supporters on the economy and cost of living.
But it ended with a bizarre 39 minutes of music and dancing as Trump swayed awkwardly on stage following interruptions because of medical emergencies in the crowd.
“Who the hell wants to hear questions, right?” he said.
Trump has made a brief, jerky dance his signature at the end of rallies for years, nearly always to his exit song — the Village People’s 1978 disco anthem “YMCA.”
On Monday, however, he stayed on stage for nine songs, ranging from opera to Guns N’ Roses and Elvis, with the ex-president alternating his dance moves with standing in place and staring into the crowd.
Harris and Trump are locked in a dead heat, according to polls, and the election is set to be decided by seven swing states where the margins could come down to barely 10,000 votes each.
With only three weeks to go, the 59-year-old Democrat has increasingly been homing in on Trump’s health and age.
It was the topic of her closing argument as she sat down with popular radio host Charlamagne tha God in an effort to boost her messaging to Black male voters — a part of the electorate where Trump has made gains.
After setting out her policies for improving the lives of Black men, she turned to Trump’s rallies and repeated a claim that riled him during their September debate — that bored supporters were leaving his rallies early.
“I will point out what everyone knows, which is that the people who worked the closest with Donald Trump when he was president — worked with him in the Oval Office, saw him at play in the Situation Room, his chief of staff, two secretaries of defense, his national security adviser and his former vice president — have all said he is dangerous and unfit to serve,” Harris said.
Trump’s own campaign schedule began with an Economic Club of Chicago event, where he said he was for slapping “obnoxious” tariffs on trading partners like Mexico so that companies move factories to the US.
“To me, the most beautiful word in the dictionary is tariff,” Trump said, before heading for a rally in swing-state Georgia.
Trump is now the oldest person ever to be nominated for a presidential bid, after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race following a disastrous debate that sparked fears about his own age.
He has not released a recent comprehensive report on his state of health, prompting fierce criticism from Harris.


Assault against rabbi in Maryland probed as hate crime, police says

The suspect was charged with felony assault and related crimes, police said. (REUTERS)
Updated 16 October 2024
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Assault against rabbi in Maryland probed as hate crime, police says

  • The suspect was charged with felony assault and related crimes, police said, adding that the victim, who was not identified, suffered minor injuries

WASHINGTON: Police in Maryland said on Tuesday that an assault against a rabbi who was attacked with a wooden stake was being probed as a hate crime and a suspect was arrested.
The incident took place in Silver Spring in Maryland.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
Rights advocates have noted rising threats against American Muslims, Arabs and Jews since the eruption of Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon following an Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Palestinian Hamas militants.
Some recent incidents that have raised alarm over antisemitism include threats of violence against Jews at Cornell University that led to a conviction and sentencing, an unsuccessful plot to attack a New York City Jewish center and a physical assault against a Jewish man in Michigan.

KEY QUOTE
“For unknown reasons, the male suspect, identified as 47-year-old Junior Michael Reece, swung a wooden stake at the victim, striking him,” Montgomery County Police Department said in a statement. “This incident is being investigated as a hate crime.”
The suspect was charged with felony assault and related crimes, police said, adding that the victim, who was not identified, suffered minor injuries.

CONTEXT
Other recent violent US incidents with Muslim and Arab victims include the attempted drowning of a 3-year-old Muslim girl in Texas, the fatal stabbing of a 6-year-old Muslim boy in Illinois, the stabbing of a Muslim man in Texas, the beating of a Muslim man in New York and a violent mob attack on pro-Palestinian protesters in California.

 


Albanian port awaits first migrant transfer from Italy

A local resident fishes near the port in Shengjin, on October 15, 2024. (AFP)
Updated 15 October 2024
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Albanian port awaits first migrant transfer from Italy

  • The five-year deal with Albania, estimated to cost Italy 160 million euros ($175 million) annually, covers adult male migrants intercepted by Italian vessels in international waters, but within Italy’s search and rescue area

SHENGJIN, Albania: The fishermen in Shengjin barely give a look at the temporary cabins built on one side of the Albanian port that Italy considers a groundbreaking scheme in Europe’s campaign against undocumented migrants.
Sixteen men from Bangladesh and Egypt, rescued in the Mediterranean on Sunday, are set to become the first residents at the Shengjin migrant center on Wednesday.
The migrant scheme could be discussed at a European Union summit this week. But Arben Leli is more worried about whether the fish bite.
“I don’t care about migrants, when they arrive, when they leave, what they do,” Leli told AFP as he tended his nets.
“I have the sea, I want to fish, that’s my life,” the 56-year-old added.
Nearby, Dashamira Deda was pulling fish from a net.
The mother-of-two, who works with her husband on a boat, said that “human nature is to think first of ourselves and then of what’s going on around us... the best thing was to leave us alone.”
Deda said the people of Shengjin, with its population of about 8,000, did not want to appear callous, but they have other pressing concerns, including making a living.
“We are just hoping it’s for a good cause without harming our lives,” the 42-year-old added, without even a glance at the center’s high walls.
But this center, and another in nearby Gjader, has been drawing growing European attention since Italy’s Prime Minister Georgia Meloni struck a deal with Albanian counterpart Edi Rama to become the first EU country to create migrant processing centers outside the bloc.
Shengjin’s seaside hotels are a summer tourist draw. But Albania’s third largest port has seen its size reduced by 4,000 square meters (43,000 square feet) so that the migrant camp, protected by high gates and Italian soldiers and police, could be built.
The five-year deal with Albania, estimated to cost Italy 160 million euros ($175 million) annually, covers adult male migrants intercepted by Italian vessels in international waters, but within Italy’s search and rescue area.
An initial screening at sea will determine which migrants are from countries considered “safe,” which could make repatriation simpler.
In Shengjin, migrants will undergo registration and health checks, and then they will be sent to the other center in Gjader to await the processing of asylum claims.
The Gjader facility includes a section for migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected, as well as a small jail.
Human rights groups have questioned the protections offered for asylum seekers. Amnesty International has called the centers a “cruel experiment (that) is a stain on the Italian government.”
Meloni on Tuesday called it a “courageous” move that could be set up in other non-EU countries.
 

 


Macron says Israel PM ‘mustn’t forget his country created by UN decision’

Updated 15 October 2024
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Macron says Israel PM ‘mustn’t forget his country created by UN decision’

  • “Mr Netanyahu must not forget that his country was created by a decision of the UN,” Macron told the weekly French cabinet meeting
  • “Therefore this is not the time to disregard the decisions of the UN“

PARIS: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should not forget his country was created as a result of a resolution adopted by the United Nations, French President Emmanuel Macron told cabinet on Tuesday, urging Israel to abide by UN decisions.

Tensions have increased between Netanyahu and Macron with the French leader last week insisting that stopping the export of weapons used by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon was the only way to stop the conflicts.

France has also repeatedly denounced Israeli fire against UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, who include a French contingent.

“Mr Netanyahu must not forget that his country was created by a decision of the UN,” Macron told the weekly French cabinet meeting, referring to the resolution adopted in November 1947 by the United Nations General Assembly on the plan to partition Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state.

“Therefore this is not the time to disregard the decisions of the UN,” he added, as Israel wages a ground offensive against the Iran-backed Shiite militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, where the UN peacekeepers are deployed.

His comments from the closed door meeting at the Elysee Palace were quoted by a participant who spoke to AFP and asked not to be named.

UN Security Council Resolution 1701 states that only the Lebanese army and the UN peacekeeping mission UNIFIL should be deployed in southern Lebanon.

Netanyahu on Sunday called on the UN to move the 10,000 strong peacekeeping force, who include 700 French troops, deployed in south Lebanon out of “harm’s way,” saying Hezbollah was using them as “human shields.”

Later on Tuesday, Netanyahu hit back at Macron’s comments, saying the country’s founding was achieved by the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, not a UN ruling.

“A reminder to the president of France: It was not the UN resolution that established the State of Israel, but rather the victory achieved in the war of independence with the blood of heroic fighters, many of whom were Holocaust survivors — including from the Vichy regime in France,” Netanyahu said to a statement.