Hassan Sheikh Mohamud facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
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حسن الشيخ محمود
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Official portrait, 2022
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| 8th & 10th President of Somalia | |
| Assumed office 23 May 2022 |
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| Prime Minister | Hamza Abdi Barre |
| Preceded by | Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo |
| In office 16 September 2012 – 16 February 2017 |
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| Prime Minister |
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| Preceded by | Sharif Sheikh Ahmed |
| Succeeded by | Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed |
| 1st Chairman of the Union for Peace and Development Party | |
| Assumed office 4 October 2018 |
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| Succeeded by | Position established |
| 1st Chairman of the Peace and Development Party | |
| In office 20 April 2011 – 4 October 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 November 1955 Jalalaqsi, Trust Territory of Somalia |
| Political party | Peace and Development Party (2011–2018) Union for Peace and Development Party (2018–present) |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 9 |
| Education |
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Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Somali: Xasan Sheekh Maxamuud; Arabic: حسن شيخ محمود; born 29 November 1955) is a Somali politician. He has been the president of Somalia since 15 May 2022. He also served as president from 2012 to 2017.
Before becoming president, Hassan was a university professor and a dean at SIMAD University. He helped start this university. In 2012, he was chosen as President of the Transitional Federal Government. Time magazine included him in their 2013 list of the 100 most influential people worldwide. After his first term, he founded the Union for Peace and Development Party. He was elected president again on 15 May 2022.
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Early Life and Education
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was born in Jalalaqsi, a town in the central Hiiraan region of Somalia. His father was from the Abgaal clan, and his mother was from the Hawadle clan. He went to primary and secondary schools in his hometown.
In 1978, he moved to Mogadishu, the capital city. He studied at the local Polytechnic Institute for three years. In 1981, he earned a diploma in technology from this school. In 1986, Hassan traveled to India. He attended Bhopal University (now Barkatullah University) and earned a master's degree in technical education in 1988.
Hassan also studied at Eastern Mennonite University's Summer Peacebuilding Institute in Virginia, USA. There, he took courses on mediation and healing. Hassan is married to Qamar Ali Omar and has nine children.
After being elected president for his second term, the University for Peace announced that Hassan was a Ph.D. candidate there. In October 2022, he successfully defended his doctoral dissertation. This made him the first sitting Somali president to earn a Ph.D. while in office. His studies focused on peace, governance, and development.
Early Career and Politics
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud started his career as an instructor at the Lafole Technical Secondary School. In 1984, he joined the Technical Teachers' Training College, which was part of the Somali National University. By 1986, he became the head of his department.
When the civil war began in the early 1990s, Hassan stayed in Somalia. He worked as a consultant for various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and UN groups. From 1993 to 1995, he was an education officer for UNICEF in central and southern Somalia. In 1999, he helped create the Somali Institute of Management and Administration (SIMAD). This institute later became SIMAD University, where Hassan served as dean until 2010.
Hassan entered politics in 2011. He founded the independent Peace and Development Party (PDP). In April 2011, members of the PDP chose him as their chairman. In August 2012, Hassan was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the new Federal Parliament of Somalia. Besides his academic and civic work, he is also a successful businessperson.
President of Somalia
First Term (2012-2017)
On 10 September 2012, lawmakers elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as President of Somalia. This happened during the country's 2012 presidential elections. In the final round of voting, Hassan won against former president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
Many countries welcomed Hassan's election. The UN Special Representative for Somalia, Augustine Mahiga, called it a "great step forward on the path to peace and prosperity." The AU also praised the election and promised to support the new leadership.
Hassan was officially sworn in as President of Somalia on 16 September 2012. On 6 October 2012, he appointed Abdi Farah Shirdon as the new Prime Minister of Somalia. Shirdon then named a new Cabinet, which the parliament approved.
Safety Challenges
On 12 September 2012, soon after his election, there was an attack attempt on the Jazeera Hotel in Mogadishu. Hassan was meeting with foreign guests there. Despite the incident, Hassan continued his speech, saying that such events would eventually stop in Somalia. The al-Shabaab group later said they were responsible.
On 3 September 2013, a bomb exploded near Hassan's convoy in Merca. One soldier was hurt, but Hassan was safe. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility, but a spokesman for the president said it was propaganda.
Rebuilding and Progress
President Mohamud focused on improving basic services like health and education for Somalis. He worked on several projects, including fixing the Mogadishu Port and rebuilding the Mogadishu airport, roads, schools, and hospitals. These efforts helped improve life for many people in Somalia.
Easing of Arms Embargo
When Hassan took office, his government worked to end the 21-year UN arms embargo on Somalia. This ban was put in place in 1992 to stop weapons from reaching fighting groups during the civil war. Hassan's government argued that lifting the ban would help strengthen the Somali Armed Forces. This would allow them to better fight militant groups. Many international groups, including the United States and the African Union, supported this idea.
In March 2013, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also asked the Security Council to remove the sanctions. In March 2014, the UN Security Council voted to extend the partial easing of the arms embargo until October of that year.
National Reconciliation Efforts
In April 2013, Hassan started talks between the central government in Mogadishu and the authorities in Hargeisa. These talks, held in Ankara, Turkey, led to an agreement. Hassan and Ahmed Mahamoud Silanyo, the President of Somaliland, agreed to share development aid fairly and work together on security.
In August 2013, the Somali federal government signed a reconciliation agreement with the Jubaland administration in Addis Ababa. This agreement, helped by Ethiopia, set up a Juba Interim Administration for two years. It also stated that the management of Kismayo's seaport and airport would transfer to the Federal Government. Revenues from these would help Jubaland's services and security. The agreement also included combining Jubaland's military forces with the Somali National Army (SNA).
In February 2015, Hassan held meetings in Mogadishu with leaders from the Puntland, Jubaland, and South West State regions. They signed an agreement to send 3,000 troops from Puntland to the Somali National Army. They also agreed to add soldiers from other regions to the SNA.
Government Changes
In November 2013, a disagreement arose between President Hassan and Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon. This led to a parliamentary vote of confidence on 2 December 2013. The parliament voted against Shirdon, ending his term as Prime Minister. On 12 December 2013, Hassan appointed Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed as the new prime minister.
Later, in October 2014, another disagreement happened between Hassan and Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed. This was about a cabinet reshuffle. After several attempts to resolve the issue, a vote of confidence was held on 6 December 2014. The parliament voted to end Ahmed's term. On 17 December 2014, Hassan appointed Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke as the new prime minister.
Youth Development Initiatives
In August 2014, at a U.S.-Africa summit, Hassan announced new projects for Somalia's youth. He said his government would focus on empowering young people. This included creating a university accreditation system and programs for job creation. They also planned to increase youth representation in government and lower the minimum age for officeholders to 18. New jobs would be created in areas like marine management and technology.
International Bank of Somalia
In October 2014, Hassan officially opened the International Bank of Somalia (IBS) in Mogadishu. This bank was started by entrepreneurs to provide international banking services. It aims to help develop Somalia's economy, especially in areas like livestock and agriculture.
Somali Language Regulation
In January 2015, Hassan announced that the Somali language would be used for all government documents. Foreign languages would only be used for talking with foreign representatives. He emphasized that no country develops well without valuing its own language. He also announced plans for a new educational curriculum using Somali as the main language.
National Tree Week
In April 2015, Hassan started National Tree Week in Mogadishu. He planted a tree to show the importance of plants for the environment. He encouraged everyone to plant as many trees as possible as part of Somalia's rebuilding efforts.
Second Term (2022-Present)
On 16 May 2022, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud won the presidential election again. He defeated the previous president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmaajo. After winning, he promised to bring stability back to Somalia. On 15 June 2022, Hassan appointed Hamza Abdi Barre as the new Prime Minister of Somalia.
Honors and Awards
In April 2013, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was named to the TIME 100 list. This is an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. He was recognized for his work in promoting national reconciliation, fighting corruption, and improving security and the economy in Somalia.
He has also received several state honors:
| Ribbon | Decoration | Country | Date | Note | Ref. |
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Hilal-i-Imtiaz |  Pakistan |
18 August 2015 | The second-highest civilian honor of Pakistan. | |
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King Hamad Order of the Renaissance |  Bahrain |
17 January 2016 | First Class, the third-highest civilian honor of Bahrain. | |
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Order of King Abdulaziz |  Saudi Arabia |
24 October 2023 | First Class, the highest civilian honor of Saudi Arabia awarded to foreign dignitaries. |
Images for kids
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Hassan in the US at The Pentagon in 2022
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Hassan with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in 2022
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See also
In Spanish: Hassan Sheikh Mohamud para niños
