Dileita Mohamed Dileita (, ; born 12 March 1959Profiles of People in Power: The World's Government Leaders (2003), page 142–143."Bio express", Jeune Afrique, November 25, 2007 .) is a Djiboutian politician who was the prime minister of Djibouti from 7 March 2001 to 1 April 2013."Mar 2001 - Djibouti", Keesing's Record of World Events, volume 47, March 2001, Djibouti, page 44,040.Cherif Ouazani, Interview with Dileita, Jeune Afrique, April 18, 2004 . He was vice-president of the People's Rally for Progress (RPP), the governing political party, until 2012. He also served as president of the Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP), the governing coalition."Sous le signe des réformes" , La Nation, May 31, 2007 . He was elected President of the National Assembly on 5 March 2023.

Early years Dileita was born in 1959 in the coastal eastern city of Tadjoura, Djibouti, to an Afar family.Worldstatesmen - DJibouti He studied in Cairo and Reims, then went to the Centre for Vocational Education in Médéa, Algeria, from which he graduated in 1981.

Political career Upon graduation, Dileita returned to Djibouti, where he worked at the Directorate-General of Protocol under the Presidency. He became the second ranking diplomat at the embassy of Djibouti in France in early 1990, and subsequently he became Ambassador to Ethiopia in 1997. He also represented Djibouti at the Organization of African Unity, headquartered in Addis Ababa, while serving as Ambassador to Ethiopia, and assisted in the peace talks that ended the 1998–2000 war between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

In December 1999, Dileita was charged with negotiating a peace agreement with a faction of the Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD); the negotiations led to the signing of an agreement in February 2000. He became ambassador to Uganda in mid-2000."Djibouti president to visit Uganda for talks on Ethiopia, Eritrea conflict", New Vision, June 19, 2000. After long-time prime minister Barkat Gourad Hamadou resigned for health reasons in February 2001,"Long-serving Prime Minister resigns", IRIN, February 6, 2001. President Ismail Omar Guelleh appointed Dileita as prime minister on March 4, 2001,"Djibouti: President appoints new prime minister", AFP, March 4, 2001. and he took office on March 7. He had no prior experience as a minister.

Dileita was elected as the vice-president of the RPP on July 3, 2003, succeeding Hamadou in that post."Le chef de l’Etat préside les travaux de la Session ordinaire du Comité central du Rassemblement Populaire pour le Progrès (RPP)", ADI, 3 July 2003 . Dileita led the ruling coalition, the Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP), in the January 2003 parliamentary election,"Djibouti: Parliamentary elections set for Friday", IRIN, January 9, 2003. standing as the first candidate on the coalition's list for the District of Djibouti."Décret n°2002-0261/PR/MID Portant publication des listes des candidats en vue des élections législatives du vendredi 10 janvier 2003", Journal Officiel de la République de Djibouti, December 25, 2002 .

On May 21, 2005, Dileita was reappointed as prime minister"Décret n°2005-0067/PRE portant nomination du Premier Ministre" , Journal Officiel de la République de Djibouti, May 21, 2005 . after Guelleh's re-election in the April 2005 presidential election;"Djibouti on the lookout for a new government after general elections", African Press Agency, March 26, 2008. a new government under Dileita was named on May 22."Décret n°2005-0069/PRE portant nomination des membres du Gouvernement", Journal Officiel de la République de Djibouti, May 22, 2005 .

As of 2008, Dileita was the president of the UMP coalition,"Un taux de participation record", La Nation, February 17, 2008 . and he headed the UMP list"Début du vote avec retard pour les législatives", AFP, 8 February 2008."Djibouti votes amid opposition boycott", AFP, February 8, 2008."Liste des 65 candidats de l’UMP pour les législatives de février 2008" , ADI, 22 January 2008 . for the District of Djibouti in the February 2008 parliamentary election. Following the election, in which the UMP won all seats amidst an opposition boycott, he resigned as prime minister on March 25, 2008. Guelleh promptly reappointed him on March 26"Re-appointed Djiboutian Premier forms new cabinet", African Press Agency, March 27, 2008 ."Décret n°2008-0083/PRE portant nomination du Premier ministre" , Official Journal of the Republic of Djibouti, March 26, 2008 . and named a new government under Dileita on March 27."Décret n°2008-0084/PRE portant nomination des membres du Gouvernement" , Official Journal of the Republic of Djibouti, March 27, 2008 .

After Guelleh won a third term in the April 2011 presidential election, he reappointed Dileita as prime minister on 11 May 2011. Guelleh retained Dileita in his post even though various other long-serving ministers were dropped from the new government that was announced on 12 May."Djibouti: le président réélu forme un nouveau gouvernement", Belga, 12 May 2011 . He was replaced as RPP Vice-president by Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed in September 2012, as part of an extensive shake-up of the RPP leadership.Cherif Ouazani, "Djibouti : révolution de velours", Jeune Afrique, 5 October 2012 .

On 31 March 2013, Dileita was succeeded by Kamil as prime minister.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, announced on 11 June 2014 that Dileita was appointed as the African Union's Special Envoy for Libya."The African Union appoints Mr. Dileita Mohamed Dileita as Special Envoy for Libya", African Union Peace and Security Department, 11 June 2014. He was head of the African Union observer mission for the March 2016 Congolese presidential election.Aaron Ross, "Protest, tear gas in Congo as Sassou Nguesso seeks to extend rule", Reuters, 20 March 2016.

See also People's Rally for Progress

References