GUELLEH'S SECOND TERM: CABINET CHANGES, BUT NOT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 000498

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF AND AF/E;
STATE ALSO FOR INR/B;
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR DJ
SUBJECT: GUELLEH'S SECOND TERM: CABINET CHANGES, BUT NOT
TOO MUCH

Classified By: Pol/Econ Erinn C. Stott for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) Summary: With the start of President Ismail Omar
Guelleh's second term comes the customary change in cabinet.
As required by law, Prime Minister Dileita Mohamed Dileita
submitted his resignation Thursday, May 19th to President
Guelleh. Saturday, May 21st, Guelleh issued a decree
re-appointing Dileita as Prime Minister. As Prime Minister,
it was Dileita's task to make any changes to the cabinet with
the approval of the President. The new cabinet was announced
Sunday, May 22nd in the afternoon via radio. President
Guelleh's new cabinet consists of many of the same people
with only five new Ministers. Of the five ministers removed,
three received appointments as special advisors to the
President. Most of the remaining Ministers were shuffled into
different positions, while only five members of the cabinet,
plus Dileita, kept their original position. End Summary.


2. (C) Guelleh's new cabinet now consists of the following
members:
Prime Minister: Dileita Mohamed Dileita (Afar) - same position
Minister of Labor: Houmed Mohamed Dini (Afar) - new member
Minister of Education: Abdi Ibrahim Absieh (Issa, Wardiiq) -
same position
Minister of Justice: Mohamed Barkat Abdillahi (Gadaboursi) -
Fmr. Labor
Minister of Youth: Hassan Farah Miguil (Issa) - new member
Minister of Health: Abdallah Abdillahi Miguil (Issa, Ourweyn)
- Fmr. Environment
Minister of Environment: Elmi Obsieh Waiss (Issa, Fourlaba) -
Fmr. Transport
Minister of Finance: Ali Farah Assoweh (Issa, Horone) - new
member
Minister of Foreign Affairs: Mahamoud Ali Youssouf (Afar) -
Fmr. Int'l Cooperation
Minister of Interior: Yacin Elmi Bouh (Issa, Mamassan) - Fmr.
Finance
Minister of Defense: Ougoureh Kifleh Ahmed (Afar) - same
position
Minister of Transport: Ismail Ibrahim Houmed (Afar) - Fmr.
Justice
Minister of Energy: Mohamed Ali Mohamed (Issa, Walaaldon) -
same position
Minister of Agriculture: Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed - new
member
Minister of Commerce: Rifki Abdoulkader Bamakrama (Arab,
Yemeni) - Fmr. Communication
Minister of Communication: Ali Abdi Farah (Issak, Haber Awal)
- Fmr. Foreign Affairs
Minister of Presidential Affairs: Osman Ahmed Moussa (Issa,
Saad Moussa) - same position
Minister Delegated to the Affairs of Women: Aicha Mohamed
Robleh (Afar) - new member
Minister Delegated to Int'l Cooperation: Hawa Ahmed Youssouf
(Issa, Saad Moussa) - Fmr. Women's Affairs
Minister Delegated to Wafks: Cheikh Mogueh Dirir Samatar
(Issa, Saad Moussa) - same position


3. (C) Former Ministers of Commerce, Health, and Interior all
received appointments as special advisors to the President or
other positions of equal importance. Saleban Omar Oudine
(Fmr. Commerce Min.) is now Technical Counselor to the Prime
Minister in charge of New Technology and Information. Mohamed
Ali Kamil (Fmr. Health) is now Counselor to the President in
charge of Food Security. Abdoulkader Doualeh Waiss (Fmr.
Interior) is now the Mediator of the Republic. Former
Ministers Dini Abdallah Bililis (Agriculture) and Otban Goita
Moussa (Youth) are no longer part of the government.


4. (C) The reasons behind the shifts and removals are still
matters of speculation. Many believe the former Minister of
Interior, Abdoulkader Doualeh Waiss, was seen as too
talkative, free with his opinions and information, and not
diplomatic with foreigners. Some suspect that Yacin Elmi
Bouh's move from Finance to Interior, both important
ministries, is to give the Mamassans (Guelleh's sub-clan)
more control over security matters and possibly to groom him
as the next president. This is a rumor that follows talk
about a group within the Mamassan sub-clan that is dead-set
on keeping control within the Mamassans.


5. (C) The changes have also reportedly caused some anger
within the ruling coalition, Union for Presidential Majority
(UMP). One of the four parties making up UMP, the Social
Democratic Party (PSD),led by Moumin Bahdon Farah, was
allegedly promised ministerial seats, but received none. This
has apparently caused anger within the party leadership.
Farah was part of the government under Hassan Gouled Aptidon,
serving 15 years in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and 2
years as Minister of Justice. During his tenure as Justice
Minister a disagreement with Aptidon put Farah in jail, at
which point he turned opposition. He returned to the
government's favor when Guelleh came to power. No rumors have
indicated what PSD's next move might be.


6. (C) Bio Data on new Ministers:
-Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed: Minister of Agriculture,
Livestock and the Ocean. Born 1951 in Souali, District of
Obock (Afar ethnicity). Holds a Science and Technology degree
from the Water Institute at the University of Limoges
specializing in water treatment and purification (1977-1979).
Served as Director of the National Water Office (ONED) since
its creation in 1983. Served as Interim Director of Water
Management prior to the creation of ONED. Married to
Guelleh's niece.

-Houmed Mohamed Dini: Minister of Labor and Solidarity. Born
in 1953 in Mabla, District of Obock (Afar). Nephew of Ahmed
Dini Ahmed, late head of the opposition coalition and
president of the opposition party, Republican Alliance for
Development (ARD). Holds a certificate of capacity to study
law from the University of Sceaux, France. Completed two
years of law school at Paris-Tolbiac. Served as Inspector of
Indirect Contributions in 1982.

-Aicha Mohamed Robleh: Minister Delegated under the Prime
Minister, Charged with the Promotion of Women, Family
Well-Being and Social Affairs. Born 18 September 1965 in
Weina, District of Tadjourah (Afar). Graduated from
University of Cameroon with a degree in Labor Law. Head of
the Commercial Service of Prisunic. Judicial Affairs
Assistant to the Labor Minister from 1991-1997. Worked with
UN Development Program on the National Rehabilitation project
from October 1997 to January 2001. Member of Parliament since

2003.

-Ali Farah Assoweh: Minister of the Economy, Finances, and
Planning, Charged with Privatization. Born 03 July, 1965 in
Djibouti (Issa, Horone). Holds a Bachelor in Economics and a
Master in Economic and Political Management. Head of the
Studies and Evaluation Office in the Ministry of Education
from 1992-1994. Head of Financial Services in the Ministry of
Education from 1994-1999. Assistant Director of Budget
Development in the Ministry of Finance from 2000-2001.
Director of Budgetary Controls in the Ministry of Finance
from 2001-2004. Secretary General of the Ministry of the
Presidency from April 2004-May 2005.

-Hassan Farah Miguil: Minister of Youth, Sports, Leisure and
Tourism. Former Mediator of the Republic. No further bio data
available.
RAGSDALE