Somalia: Incoming PM lands in Mogadishu

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MOGADISHU, Somalia Dec 16, 2014 (Garowe Online)-The Somali envoy to the United States Ambassador Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke has arrived in Mogadishu on Tuesday as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud weighs appointment over the coming 24 hours, Garowe Online reports.
 
Ambassador Sharmarke was welcomed at Mogadishu's Adan Adde International airport by Federal Members of Parliament, Politicians and Presidential officials.
 
Insiders say, the man set to replace outgoing Prime Minister Abdiweli Shiekh Ahmed Mohamed has been escorted to seaside hotel of Jazeera which is situated a few kilometers away from the heavily fortified airport.
 
On Saturday, Garowe Online for the first time published the possible appointment of Sharmarke as the head of the government.
 
Mogadishu-based central government is fending off Islamist insurgents threat.

Who is Sharmarke?

Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke is a Somali-Canadian diplomat, from privileged background, and is the son of former President and Prime minister, Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke who was assassinated by his bodyguard in Sool regional capital of Lasanod on October 15, 1969 during a visit to drought-stricken regions in northern Somalia.

Before taking on a diplomatic post as Somalia ambassador to the United States in 2009, interim President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed cherry-picked Sharmarke for premiership.

Besides, He is the son of Ruqia, the daughter of renowned Islamic scholar Dahir Ali Boss. Sharmarke graduated with BA in Economics from Somali National University (SNU), and subsequently studied at Carleton University in Ottawa, earning BA in Political science and MA in Political Economics.

On September 21, 2010, Somali envoy to the US left his top political job after bitter stand-off came into being between him and President Ahmed.

In July 2014, President Mohamud named him Somalia’s first ambassador to the United States in 20 years.

In contrast to his predecessors, he will not be a novice in Somali politics.

GAROWE ONLINE

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