Stalemate in cigarette war

The border closure between Djibouti and the self-declared independent state of Somaliland, northwestern Somalia, triggered by a trade dispute over cigarette suppliers, remains in place. Somaliland officials said the action taken by Djibouti earlier this month had not caused significant economic damage, as Somaliland’s main trading partner was Ethiopia.

Sources in Somaliland told IRIN that as a result of the dispute, local businessmen want cigarette companies to supply directly rather than through the Djibouti-based Horn of Africa representative, Abdulrahman Bore. Bore is seen by Somalilanders to unfairly control the regional cigarette trade, including Benson and Hedges. With some 10,000 cases of cigarettes a month imported by Somaliland, the business was considered lucrative, local sources said.

Somaliland businessmen complain that Djiboutian tycoon Bore, known to be close to Djibouti President Ismael Omar Guelleh, has been politically influenced and displays “animosity” to the self-declared independent status of Somaliland, local sources said. Bore helped organise and finance Djibouti-hosted peace talks last year, which resulted in the election of the Mogadishu-based Transitional National Government (TNG) and President Abdiqassim Salad Hassan. The Somaliland administration boycotted the talks, and relations with Djibouti soured.