Ismail Omar Guelleh is the President of Djibouti, having served since 1999. He is the central sovereign figure in the port's transition and a key node in the Epstein/Sulayem network.
- Waldorf Astoria Meeting (Sept 25, 2011): During UN Week, Guelleh met with Jeffrey Epstein in his suite (12:15 PM) at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. The meeting was arranged by Sultan Bin Sulayem, who introduced Epstein as a "friend" whose presence would be "interesting."
- The "Sensitive Triangle": Guelleh was a primary node in the concealment strategy where his relationship with Epstein was kept secret from Abdourahman Boreh. This secrecy was maintained at the request of Sultan Bin Sulayem, highlighting Guelleh's alignment with Epstein against his former rivals.
- The "Djibouti Friend" Connection: Correspondence from September 2011 mentions a shared "Djibouti friend" close to the President and Sultan who was involved in Epstein's social gatherings involving "girls."
- Pivot to China: Guelleh's meeting with Epstein directly preceded the 2012-2013 transition of Djiboutian port interests from DP World (UAE) to China Merchants Group (China), a shift bridged by the Witan Group strategy.
- The Legal Blow (2016-2017): Guelleh's attempt to use litigation as a tool to seize the port backfired when the London Commercial Court cleared Boreh of bribery (March 2016), and the subsequent LCIA ruling (Dubai v Djibouti) dismissed the state's claims entirely in early 2017.
Mapping the Connections (Key Associates)
The Sovereign Layer
The Brokerage & Advisory Layer
The Financial & Corporate Layer
The Operative Layer
Primary Evidence (Jmail Threads)