Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed
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محمد عبدالله محمد
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Official portrait, 2017
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| 9th President of Somalia | |
| In office 16 February 2017 – 23 May 2022 |
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| Prime Minister | Hassan Ali Khaire Mahdi Mohammed Gulaid (acting) Mohamed Hussein Roble |
| Preceded by | Hassan Sheikh Mohamud |
| Succeeded by | Hassan Sheikh Mohamud |
| 14th Prime Minister of Somalia | |
| In office 1 November 2010 – 19 June 2011 |
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| President | Sharif Sheikh Ahmed |
| Preceded by | Abdiwahid Elmi Gonjeh (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Abdiweli Mohamed Ali |
| Leader of the Tayo Party | |
| Assumed office 5 May 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 March 1962 Mogadishu, Somalia |
| Citizenship | Somali American (renounced 2017) |
| Political party | Tayo |
| Other political affiliations |
Republican (United States) |
| Spouse | Saynab Abdi Moallim |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | University at Buffalo (BA, MA) |
Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (Somali: Maxaamed Cabdullaahii Maxaamed, Arabic: محمد عبدالله محمد), born on March 11, 1962, is a Somali politician. He is also known as Farmaajo. He served as the president of Somalia from 2017 to 2022. Before that, he was the prime minister for about six months, from November 2010 to June 2011. Since 2012, Mohamed has been the leader of the Tayo Party, which he founded.
Contents
Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed: A Leader in Somalia
Early Life and Education
Mohamed was born in Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia. His family belongs to the Marehan sub-clan of the Darod clan. His parents were active supporters of the Somali Youth League (SYL), which was Somalia's first political party. In the 1970s, his father worked for the government in transportation. Mohamed went to a boarding school in Somalia.
When the civil war began in 1991, he moved to Canada for safety. Later, he moved to the United States. While living in Buffalo, he became a citizen of the United States. In August 2019, he gave up his American citizenship.
Mohamed is married to Saynab Abdi Moallim, who was the First Lady of Somalia. They have four children, two daughters and two sons. As of 2019, his children still live in the United States.
Career Before Presidency
Mohamed worked at Somalia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1982 to 1985. From 1985 to 1988, he was a First Secretary at the Somali embassy in Washington. After moving to America, he studied at the University at Buffalo. He earned a bachelor's degree in history in 1993.
From 1994 to 1997, Mohamed was a Commissioner for the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority. He also worked as a finance chairman there. He served as a case manager for a lead safety program in the city from 1995 to 1999. Between 2000 and 2002, he was a minority business coordinator for Erie County.
From 2002 until he became Prime Minister in 2010, he worked for the New York State Department of Transportation. During this time, he also earned his master's degree in political science from the University at Buffalo. He taught leadership and conflict resolution at Erie Community College.
Prime Minister (2010–2011)
On October 15, 2010, Mohamed was chosen as the new Prime Minister of Somalia. He officially took office on November 1, 2010. On November 12, 2010, he announced his new Cabinet. The number of government ministers was greatly reduced from 39 to just 18. Only two ministers from the previous government kept their jobs.
Government Changes
During his first 50 days, Mohamed's government started a system to register all security forces using fingerprints. They also appointed people to work on Somalia's new constitution. Government teams were sent to different regions to help calm tensions between clans.
To make the government more open, ministers shared what they owned and agreed to a set of rules for good behavior. A group was also created to fight corruption. This group could investigate government decisions. Also, ministers needed the Prime Minister's permission for trips abroad. The government's budget for 2011 was approved, and paying government workers was a top priority.
Mohamed's focus on fixing roads, reopening schools, and paying soldiers and government workers regularly made him popular.
Resignation
An agreement called the Kampala Accord was made to end the temporary phase of Somalia's government. As part of this agreement, Mohamed was asked to resign. He resigned on June 19, 2011. After his resignation, Mohamed went back to the United States.
Tayo Party
In early 2012, Mohamed and some of his former government members started a political party called Tayo, which means "Quality." The party's main goals were to provide services to the people of Somalia. They also wanted to encourage Somalis living abroad to return home and help rebuild the country. Mohamed traveled to many countries to gain support for his new party.
Presidential Elections
Mohamed ran for president in Somalia's 2012 elections but was not chosen.
In the 2017 presidential election, Mohamed campaigned as a candidate against corruption. He won the presidency in the second round of voting. His victory was a surprise to many. He promised to create a new constitution, hold "one person, one vote" elections, and work to stop the Al-Shabaab group.
His Time as President (2017–2022)
When Mohamed first became president, his government was praised by the International Monetary Fund for its financial improvements. Diplomats also noted his efforts to reduce corruption in the military. However, some groups within Somalia, especially in the south-central parts of the country, did not support him.
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Working with Other Countries
Relations with Somaliland
In February 2020, Mohamed met with Muse Bihi Abdi, the President of Somaliland. The meeting was arranged by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia to discuss unification. However, no agreement was reached. Most of Somaliland's population was born after its declaration of independence in 1991. This declaration led to 30 years of peace in Somaliland.
Relations with Kenya
In December 2020, Mohamed accused Kenya of interfering in Somalia's affairs. Somalia then cut off diplomatic ties with Kenya. This meant Kenyan diplomats had to leave Mogadishu. Kenya denied these claims, saying they had helped Somali refugees and worked for peace in Somalia. An international report later found no evidence of Kenya interfering.
Support for Ethiopia
In November 2020, Mohamed met with an advisor to Ethiopia's Prime Minister. Mohamed reportedly supported Ethiopia's actions in the Tigray War. Ethiopia also promised to continue its military support in Somalia against Al-Shabaab.
There were reports that thousands of Somali soldiers were fighting in Tigray. Families of these soldiers protested in Mogadishu, saying they had not heard from their relatives. These soldiers were told they were going for training in Eritrea for jobs in Qatar. Both Ethiopia and Somalia denied that Somali soldiers were involved in the conflict. In June 2021, the UNHCR confirmed that Somali troops had been taken from Eritrea to fight in Tigray.
Supporting Press Freedom
A report in February 2020 by Amnesty International stated that press freedom in Somalia had worsened since Mohamed became president. The report said that the government and Al-Shabaab were the biggest threats to journalists. It mentioned cases of journalists who had to leave the country or lost their lives.
There were also claims that Mohamed's office had paid some media outlets. This made it difficult for journalists working for them to report freely. In April 2020, a government agency called a journalist a security threat. Many journalists and politicians supported the journalist, calling him a respected professional.
Reporters without Borders noted that efforts were being made to reduce attacks on journalists. However, they were concerned that new media laws were not good enough. They noted that a police officer who shot a journalist was found guilty. Also, two soldiers were removed from the military for harming reporters.
In September 2020, human rights groups criticized Mohamed for saying that some Somali journalists were unprofessional or linked to Al-Shabaab. He did not provide any proof for these claims. A researcher from Amnesty International said that journalists were often not allowed into government buildings or to interview officials.
Helping Somalia's Economy
In 2020, Mohamed helped Somalia get debt relief. This meant that $1.4 billion of Somalia's debt was cancelled. He praised his government team for this important achievement.
Election Challenges
Prime Minister's Resignation
Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire resigned on July 25, 2020. This happened after a vote of no confidence, where he was accused of not keeping promises. It is common for prime ministers in Somalia to be dismissed. The United Nations expressed concern about this resignation.
Election Agreement and Talks
Meetings in July and August 2020 helped create a plan for an indirect election model. On September 17, 2020, the government agreed to hold parliamentary elections by December 1, 2020, and presidential elections in February 2021.
However, there were many disagreements about how to hold the elections. Some leaders accused Mohamed of not following the election deal. They also said he was filling election committees with his supporters. Talks between the government and regional leaders failed multiple times.
On April 12, 2021, the lower house of parliament voted to extend Mohamed's term. But the upper house disagreed, saying it was against the constitution. Many international groups also opposed this extension. They warned that it could affect their help to Somalia.
Violence broke out in Mogadishu in April 2021 between forces supporting and opposing Mohamed's term extension. This caused many people to flee their homes. After these clashes, Mohamed announced that he would not seek a two-year extension of his term.
On May 1, 2021, Mohamed gave Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble the job of overseeing the elections and ensuring their security.
Disputes with Prime Minister Roble
Mohamed Hussein Roble became Prime Minister on September 18, 2020. There were some disagreements between Mohamed and Roble. In February 2021, government forces opened fire on peaceful protesters. Roble expressed sadness about the violence and promised that elections would happen.
In September 2021, a dispute arose over the investigation into the death of Ikran Tahlil Farah. Roble suspended the head of the National Intelligence Agency, but Mohamed overturned the decision. This led to a public disagreement. Mohamed later removed Roble's power to organize elections in December 2021. Roble accused Mohamed of trying to stop the election process.
On January 10, 2022, Somali leaders reached an agreement to complete parliamentary elections by February 25. This agreement came after many delays that had threatened the country's stability.
Awards and Honours
In 2019, at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Mohamed received the Concordia Leadership Award. He shared this award with Abiy Ahmed, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, and Isaias Afwerki, the President of Eritrea.
Images for kids
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Mohamed in 2014
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President Farmajo with the Emir of Qatar in 2018
See also
In Spanish: Abdullahi Mohamed para niños
