Djibouti (UNA-OIC) – Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh said that Djibouti must rise to the level of current and future challenges, during his speech on Monday on the occasion of the traditional reception held to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Djibouti’s Independence Day.
During his speech, the Djibouti President touched upon the milestones of the path that Djibouti has followed and is still following in accordance with steady steps, with clear visions towards achieving a bright tomorrow and an ambitious future.
The President of the Republic referred to the continuous success of the Djiboutian society in gaining high resilience to face the challenges and external shocks facing the world and Djibouti as a part of this world, pointing out that those shocks have become increasingly interconnected in an open and connected world, in which the winds of globalization extend without borders or Barriers. The president cited in this context “COvid-19 pandemic” and “high prices” due to the war between Russia and Ukraine.
In his speech, the President of Djibouti outlined the main lines of his strategy aimed at ensuring the full independence of Djibouti and the non-negotiable ability to achieve its needs and development. On the food level, the President revealed that measures are being taken in line with the government’s vision and orientations, such as renting farms in some neighbouring countries in order to provide the country with basic needs to enhance the preservation of its food security.
As for the phenomenon of high prices, the President of the Republic affirmed his determination to combat this phenomenon through “additional measures and social mechanisms to mitigate the shock, in addition to taking deterrent penalties against some traders who make the phenomenon of high prices a profitable business to achieve personal interests at the expense of the homeland and the citizen.”
The President of the Republic also devoted an important part of his speech to the national event “June 27” Independence Day, briefly referring to the path taken by Djibouti since it gained national independence.
In this regard, Guelleh stressed that the priority is always to preserve the main gains and achievements of the sovereignty of Djibouti, especially unity, justice, equality, interdependence, and stability.
With regard to development work, the President of the Republic affirmed his constant follow-up, pointing to the implementation of important reforms, including the “educational system”, where the school became accessible to all without discrimination, and the cancer of elitism that retained knowledge for a small minority was eliminated.
“As for the “health system” the government achieved Comprehensive health insurance and eliminated discrimination and inequality in access to health care that kept and even trapped poor groups of people in their suffering,” the President said.
In his speech, the Djibouti President indicated that “our society has unleashed women’s energies thanks to the social and political reforms that have been put in place, and thus women have got rid of the patriarchal concept and the restrictions that were stifling them.”
The National Day celebration was held under the auspices of President Guelleh. Early in the morning of the National Day, the President laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier located in the People’s Palace Square.
The celebration of the traditional commemoration of the glorious Independence Day on its 45th anniversary witnessed a collective military parade in which all bodies of the armed and security forces in the country participated. The parade was inaugurated under the high patronage of the President of the Republic, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
Members of the government and parliament, senior civil and military legal persons, as well as members of the diplomatic missions accredited to Djibouti participated in the military parade and reception ceremonies.
