Djiboutian football enters new dawn

History has been made in Djibouti after the first ever official football match was played outside the capital with the sports complex of Ali Sabeih region hosting the 35th edition of the Djiboutian Super Cup match.

Current champions, ASAS Djibouti Telecom, which is from Ali Sabeih region, welcomed Dihkil FC rivals to the newly-built facility downing them 6-2 in the match over the weekend to clinch their 3rd biggest football victory in the year.

Djiboutian Football Federation officials and government ministers were amongst thousands of spectators who enjoyed the Super Cup match which was also an inaugural event for the launch of the sports complex of Ali Sabeih, the first of its kind built outside the capital Djibouti.

Djiboutian FA president, Souleiman Hassan Waberi, who talked to the media, said that Djiboutian football has now come of age and that it was a new dawn of development for the people of his country to have official football matches being played in different cities and towns.

“The long-awaited day has arrived. Djibouti is now mature enough, but I am not saying we reached our main target, because a long way is still ahead and I want to ensure that our football is fully developed in the years to come,” the president, Souleiman Hassan Waberi told media.

“So many years in the past, we played our official matches only in the capital, but now things have changed and a new dawn of progress has emerged. I take this opportunity to thank the president of the Republic of Djibouti, his excellence Ismail Omar Guelleh for doing everything in his capacity to help us promote the game throughout the country.”

Secretary of state for youth and sport, Mr. Hassan Mohamed Kamil, said that Djiboutian football has taken a big step forward and more other steps will follow soon.

 “Our football is now fully on track and as a government we are very proud of the football development programs under way in the country” said Mr. Kamil.

Kamil once served as secretary general of the Djiboutian Football federation and has experience for developing the game and sport in general.

Other government officials who watched the Djiboutian Super Cup match included: the minister for labour and the reform of the administration His Excellency Hassan Idriss Samrieh, the minister of the budget, His Excellence Bodeh Ahmed Robleh, the minister of communication in charge of posts and telecommunications, His Excellency Abdi Yusuf Sougueh and delegate to the minister of interior in charge of decentralization, His Excellency Hamadou Mohamed Aramis.