[6] Dileita was born in 1959 in the coastal eastern city of Tadjoura, Djibouti, to an Afar family.

He became the second ranking diplomat at the embassy of Djibouti in France in early 1990,[4] and subsequently he became Ambassador to Ethiopia[1][4] in 1997.

[20] Following the election, in which the UMP won all seats amidst an opposition boycott, he resigned as Prime Minister on March 25, 2008.

[21][23] 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.