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Sharif Sheikh Ahmed ( so, Shariif Sheekh Axmed, ar, شريف شيخ أحمد; born 25 July 1964) is a Somali politician who served as
President of Somalia The president of Somalia ( so, Madaxaweynaha Soomaaliya) is the head of state of Somalia. The president is also commander-in-chief of the Somali Armed Forces. The president represents the Federal Republic of Somalia, and the unity of the Som ...
from 2009 to 2012. He is the founder and leader of Himilo Qaran political party and also the founder and head of the
Forum for National Parties The Forum for National Parties (Madasha Xisbiyada Qaran) is an alliance of political parties in Somalia founded in October 2019. The alliance includes Himilo Qaran party, led by former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and Peace and Development Par ...
( so, Madasha Xisbiyada Qaran) of Somalia. He is the chairperson of the Council of Presidential Candidates of Somalia.


Early life and career


Education

Born on 25 July 1964 in
Mahaday Mahaday ( so, Mahadaay) is a town in the southwestern Middle Shabelle (Shabeellaha Dhexe) province of Somalia. Overview Mahaday is located about 120 km north of Mogadishu, the nation's capital.''Agriculture international'', Volumes 40-41, (Ag ...
a town in the southern the
Middle Shabelle Middle Shabelle ( so, Shabeellaha Dhexe, ar, شبيلي الوسطى, it, Medio Scebeli) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in southern Somalia. Overview It is bordered by the Somali regions of Galguduud, Hiran, Lower Shabelle (Shabel ...
region where he acquired the knowledge of the Islamic teachings,
Arabic language Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
and the memorisation of the Qur'an as a child. He began his education at the Sheikh Sufi Institute, which was associated with
Al-Azhar University , image = جامعة_الأزهر_بالقاهرة.jpg , image_size = 250 , caption = Al-Azhar University portal , motto = , established = *970/972 first foundat ...
in
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
. He studied at
Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Suda ...
n and
Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
ese universities in the mid-1990s, where he earned a bachelor's degree in
Law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
and Islamic
Shariah Sharia (; ar, شريعة, sharīʿa ) is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the religious precepts of Islam and is based on the sacred scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran and the ...
.


Law career

Sharif departed for Somalia in 2000 at a time when Somalia was under the control of warlords and friends could not visit each other in Mogadishu due to clan separation and mistrust. The legacy of the civil war was apparent everywhere in Somalia and Sharif had ambitions of saving his country and his people. He established Al Shuruuq Agency, a cultural and heritage institution and the Federation of Adolescents in Mogadishu which facilitated social interaction for young Somalis who had never before crossed the boundaries formed by the warlords. As a result, the residents of Mogadishu began to cross the lines where friends, schoolmates, and elders can come together and express themselves in a positive way. Sharif became a regional attorney of his home province, middle Shabelle, where he was elected chairman of a provincial court in Jowhar between 2001 and 2002. Armed groups in the Somali capital who exploited the disintegration of the central government had been responsible for countless kidnappings and killings. The court was established through a campaign which Sharif led to secure the release of an abducted child. The court was successful in securing the release of the child and other abductees as well as looted vehicles. The court went on to suppress the violence of gangs and warlords which was prevalent throughout the capital. Subsequently, all five Islamic courts united and Sharif, who had always been seen as the moderate face of the Islamic Courts Union, was elected to become the chair. Somalia was already beginning to see swift political and economic changes under his first six months of leadership. Warlords and their influence were eliminated from the city with the help of the people's support which made it possible for the first time in sixteen years to reopen
Mogadishu International Airport Aden Adde International Airport ( so, Garoonka Caalamiga Ee Aadan Cadde, ar, مطار آدم عدي الدولي) , formerly known as Mogadishu International Airport, is an international airport serving Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. It ...
and Mogadishu Port. Top UN officials have referred to this period as a 'Golden era' in the history of Somali politics. At the time the
Transitional Federal Government The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) ( so, Dowladda Federaalka Kumeelgaarka, ar, الحكومة الاتحادية الانتقالية) was internationally recognized as a provisional government of the Republic of Somalia from 14 October ...
which was established in Mbagathi,
Nairobi Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ...
in 2004, was a fragile body which was divided and weak. The Ethiopian army invaded Somalia claiming that it was trying to help the Transitional Federal Government and overthrew the Islamic Court Union. Sharif met with the US Ambassador to Kenya for talks concerning cooperation with the Transitional Federal Government, after which he left for
Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the north and Oman to the northeast and ...
to meet with other former Islamic Courts Union members.


Pre-presidential political career

As an exiled opposition leader Sharif, the former leader of the Islamic Courts Union, was in search of a headquarters for establishing a new political party, the
Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia The Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) was a Somali political party. A successor to the Islamic Courts Union, it was launched in September 2007. History of the ARS Members of the Islamic Courts Union and Somali opposition leaders ...
. In September 2007 nearly 500 delegates gathered in
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera, is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the sixth highest capital in the world by altitude and the second highest capital in Africa. The c ...
,
Eritrea Eritrea ( ; ti, ኤርትራ, Ertra, ; ar, إرتريا, ʾIritriyā), officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of Eastern Africa, with its capital and largest city at Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopi ...
, including Islamists, parliamentarians, civil society and the diaspora and adopted a constitution. Sharif's party the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia signed a
peace treaty A peace treaty is an agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, which formally ends a state of war between the parties. It is different from an armistice, which is an agreement to stop hostilities; a surre ...
with the
Transitional Federal Government The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) ( so, Dowladda Federaalka Kumeelgaarka, ar, الحكومة الاتحادية الانتقالية) was internationally recognized as a provisional government of the Republic of Somalia from 14 October ...
on 9 June 2008 in
Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red ...
called the
Djibouti Agreement Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red S ...
.


President of Somalia

The Sharif administration successfully brought the
Federal Government of Somalia The Government of Somalia (GS) ( so, Dowladda Soomaaliya, ar, حكومة الصومال الاتحادية) is the internationally recognised government of Somalia, and the first attempt to create a central government in Somalia since the colla ...
through transitional status following the collapse of the previous governing administration in 1991. His administration is credited with developing Somalia's constitution and setting up key institutions such as the
police The police are a Law enforcement organization, constituted body of Law enforcement officer, persons empowered by a State (polity), state, with the aim to law enforcement, enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citize ...
, the
military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
and the
judiciary The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law ...
. He established the Somali National Army, opened the main sea port of Mogadishu and relaunched the
central bank A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is an institution that manages the currency and monetary policy of a country or monetary union, and oversees their commercial banking system. In contrast to a commercial bank, a centra ...
. Under Sharif's leadership, the
Transitional Federal Government The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) ( so, Dowladda Federaalka Kumeelgaarka, ar, الحكومة الاتحادية الانتقالية) was internationally recognized as a provisional government of the Republic of Somalia from 14 October ...
succeeded in driving out Al Shabaab from the capital city and its surroundings, establishing security, peace and reconciliation through the difficult transitional period.


Presidential Election 2009

After winning the vote in the early hours of 31 January 2009, President Sharif was sworn in later in the day at the Kempinski hotel in
Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red ...
. Sharif vowed to form a broad-based government and invited all armed groups in the war-ravaged Horn of Africa nation to join the UN-sponsored reconciliation effort.
Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah ( ar, أحمدو ولد عبد الله) (born November 21, 1940) is a Mauritanian diplomat who was a senior United Nations official. Background Ould-Abdallah was born on November 21, 1940, in Mauritania. He graduated from ...
, the UN's special envoy for Somalia, praised the "transparent" presidential vote. "We are finally seeing progress from the hard work by all sides to create an inclusive parliament," Ould-Abdallah said in a statement.


Arab League summit

In March 2009, Sharif attended the Arab summit in Bagdad to get support for his fight against Al-Shabaab, and establishment of security, peace and reconciliation.


Press conference with Hillary Clinton

On 6 August 2009, Sharif and US Secretary of State,
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
held a joint press conference in
Nairobi Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ...
,
Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...
discussing the challenges facing
Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constitut ...
, and the possibility of achieving peace, stability and reconciliation for the Somalis.


Center for Strategic and International Studies

On 30 September 2009, the
Center for Strategic and International Studies The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is an American think tank based in Washington, D.C. CSIS was founded as the Center for Strategic and International Studies of Georgetown University in 1962. The center conducts policy ...
(C.S.I.S.) in Washington hosted a statesman's forum with Sharif on Somalia promoting peace through international engagement.


Speech at United Nations headquarters in New York

On 10 October 2009, Sharif presented a speech at the General Debate of the 64th Session of the
General Assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of pres ...
at the
United Nations headquarters zh, 联合国总部大楼french: Siège des Nations uniesrussian: Штаб-квартира Организации Объединённых Наций es, Sede de las Naciones Unidas , image = Midtown Manhattan Skyline 004.jpg , im ...
in New York on promoting peace, security, reconciliation and the delivery of humanitarian assistance.


2010 Istanbul Conference on Somalia

In May 2010, at the Istanbul Conference on Somalia, U.N. Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon Ban Ki-moon (; ; born 13 June 1944) is a South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016. Prior to his appointment as secretary-general, Ban was his country's Ministe ...
said that the only chance to bring stability to Somalia was to support the government of Sharif. He specifically voiced his support for Sharif himself, saying that he needed to be in power and to strengthen his leadership.


Speech at the United Nations

On 25 September 2010, Sharif's speech at the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...
was about promoting regional stability, security and reconstruction in Somalia.


Appointment of Prime Minister

Sharif appointed former First Secretary of the Somali embassy in Washington,
Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed ( so, Maxaamed Cabdullaahii Maxaamed, ar, محمد عبدالله محمد; born 11 March 1962), also known as Farmaajo, is a Somali politician who served as president of Somalia from 2017 to 2022. He was prime minist ...
, as the new Prime Minister of Somalia in October 2010 after the resignation of
Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke (; so, Cumar Cabdirashiid Cali Sharmaarke, ar, عمر شرماركي) (born 18 June 1960), popularly known as Omar Sharmarke, is a Somali diplomat and politician. From 2009 to 2010, he was the Prime Minister of Soma ...
.Somali president appoints new PM
Al Jazeera. Retrieved on 22 August 2012.
United Nations Secretary General
Ban Ki-Moon Ban Ki-moon (; ; born 13 June 1944) is a South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016. Prior to his appointment as secretary-general, Ban was his country's Ministe ...
issued a statement commending the Somali leadership for having reached a consensus on procedural arrangements that facilitated a transparent and consultative confirmation of the new Premier.UN chief encourages new Somalia PM to form government
People Daily (2010). Retrieved on 22 August 2012.


Al Shabaab withdrawal from Mogadishu

On 6 August 2011, Sharif announced that his military had defeated Islamist rebels battling to overthrow his Western-backed government after Al Shabaab began withdrawing fighters from the capital Mogadishu.


Kampala Accord

The Kampala Accord was an agreement made in
Kampala Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and R ...
,
Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The ...
in line with the
Transitional Federal Charter of the Somali Republic The Transitional Federal Charter of the Somali Republic (TFC) was the principle organizing document of Somalia. Written and approved in February 2004, it represented one of the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs). The other TFIs included the ...
to bring and end to the transitional phase of the
Transitional Federal Government The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) ( so, Dowladda Federaalka Kumeelgaarka, ar, الحكومة الاتحادية الانتقالية) was internationally recognized as a provisional government of the Republic of Somalia from 14 October ...
on 20 August 2011. It was signed on 9 June 2011 by HE Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, President of the Transitional Federal Government, Hon
Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan ( so, Shariif Xasan Sheekh Aadan, ar, شريف حسن الشيخ آدم; is a Somali politician. He is a former Minister of Finance of Somalia, and the last Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP). Car ...
, Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda and
Augustine Mahiga Augustine Philip Mahiga (28 August 1945 – 1 May 2020) was a Tanzanian diplomat and Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in 2019 and 2020. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2015 to 2019. He previously served as the ...
, Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations.


AMISOM visit

In September 2011, Sharif visited Burundian peacekeepers serving in his country in a show of support for
African Union Mission to Somalia The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) was a regional peacekeeping mission operated by the African Union with the approval of the United Nations Security Council. It was mandated to support transitional governmental structures, imple ...
(AMISOM). "I came to pay a visit to the AMISOM peacekeepers and the Somali soldiers," the president told reporters before heading back to Villa Somalia after meetings ended. "The intention was to find out how the soldiers are doing and how ready they are to help the Somali people and the government. As you can see they are really prepared and have high spirits to end the problems affecting the Somali people. The two forces have a good working relationship, and we hope their partnership will result in a victory for our country and removal of the enemy."


Operation Linda Nchi

Operation Linda Nchi ("Protect the country"; Swahili: Linda Nchi) is the codename for a co-ordinated military operation between the Kenyan military and the Somali military that began on 16 October 2011, when troops from Kenya crossed the border into the conflict zones of southern Somalia.


Kampala Talks

In November 2011, Sharif met with Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni to discuss security in Somalia and in the eastern Africa region. Sharif was accompanied by a number of ministers and legislators.


Garowe Conference

In February 2012, Sharif and other Somali government officials met in the northeastern town of
Garowe Garowe ( so, Garoowe, ar, غَاْرَّوْؤَيَ,
to discuss post-transition political arrangements. After extensive deliberations attended by regional actors and international observers, the conference ended in a signed agreement between the President, Prime Minister
Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Abdiweli Mohamed Ali GaasBriefi ...
, Speaker of Parliament
Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan ( so, Shariif Xasan Sheekh Aadan, ar, شريف حسن الشيخ آدم; is a Somali politician. He is a former Minister of Finance of Somalia, and the last Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP). Career ...
, Puntland President
Abdirahman Mohamed Farole Abdirahman Mohamud Farole ( so, Cabdiraxmaan Maxamuud Faroole; ar, عبد الرحمن محمد; born 1945) is a Somali politician. He served for many years in the government, acting as a governor of the Nugal region of Somalia in the 1990s an ...
, Galmudug President
Mohamed Ahmed Alin Col. Mohamed Ahmed Alin ( so, Maxamed Axmed Aliin, ar, محمد أحمد علين) is a Somali politician, former military leader and former president of semi-autonomous Galmudug State of Somalia. Biography Alin was a colonel in the former Somal ...
and
Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a (ASWJ) ( so, Ahlu Suna Waljamaaca) is a Somalia-based paramilitary group consisting of moderate Sufis opposed to radical Salafism. The group opposes hardline capital punishment or limb amputations advocated by extremist i ...
representative Khalif Abdulkadir Noor stipulating that: a) a new 225 member
bicameral Bicameralism is a type of legislature, one divided into two separate assemblies, chambers, or houses, known as a bicameral legislature. Bicameralism is distinguished from unicameralism, in which all members deliberate and vote as a single gr ...
parliament would be formed, with a lower house and an upper house seating 54 senators; b) 30% of the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) is earmarked for women; c) the President is to be appointed via a constitutional election; and d) the Prime Minister is selected by the President and he/she then names his/her Cabinet.Somalia: Garowe conference comes to a close
. Garoweonline.com (19 February 2012). Retrieved on 22 August 2012.
Second Garowe Conference Concludes
. Somalia Report (18 February 2012). Retrieved on 2 August 2012.


London Conference on Somalia

Sharif spoke at the London Conference on Somalia on 23 February 2012. Sharif said: "To all of you who have exerted every effort so that you could put an end to the suffering of the Somali people, we would like to say that we appreciate this wonderful effort." US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
, UN Secretary General
Ban Ki-moon Ban Ki-moon (; ; born 13 June 1944) is a South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016. Prior to his appointment as secretary-general, Ban was his country's Ministe ...
and representatives from over 40 governments attended the London Conference on Somalia, to discuss the rebuilding of Somalia and the tackling of piracy, terrorism and famine.


2012 Istanbul Conference on Somalia

On 1 June 2012, Sharif and
UN Secretary General The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or SG) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. The role of the secretary-g ...
Ban Ki-moon Ban Ki-moon (; ; born 13 June 1944) is a South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016. Prior to his appointment as secretary-general, Ban was his country's Ministe ...
attended the Istanbul Conference on Somalia to promote global reconstruction efforts and to back up on going stabilisation efforts.


New constitution

On 23 June 2012, the Somali Federal Government and regional leaders met again and approved a draft constitution after several days of deliberation. The National Constituent Assembly overwhelmingly passed the new constitution on 1 August, with 96% voting for it, 2% against it, and 2% abstaining.


Dubai Charter

The second UAE counter piracy conference was held at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai on 27–28 June. It was attended by more than 400 delegates including Foreign Ministers, the United Nations' International Maritime Organisation, industry leaders, welfare organisations and academic experts. The Conference Keynote Address was given by Sharif from the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia. The event concluded with a strong call for a "comprehensive approach" against pirates that includes national governments, international organisations and the global maritime industry. On 28 June 2012, Sharif signed a cooperation deal with
Ahmed Mahamoud Silanyo Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud "Silanyo" ( so, Axmed Maxamed Maxamuud Siilaanyo, ar, احمد محمد محمود سيلانيو) (born 1938) is a Somaliland politician who was President of Somaliland from 2010–2017. He is a long-time member of the go ...
, President of the separatist
Somaliland Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
region in northwestern Somalia. Referred to as the Dubai Charter, the agreement calls for greater coordination between Somalia's various political units and is part of broader international reconciliation efforts among all Somali parties. The presidents of the autonomous
Puntland Puntland ( so, Puntland, ar, أرض البنط, it, Terra di Punt or ''Paese di Punt''), officially the Puntland State of Somalia ( so, Dowlad Goboleedka Puntland ee Soomaaliya, ar, ولاية أرض البنط الصومالية), is a F ...
and
Galmudug Galmudug ( ar, جلمدج; it, Galmudugh), officially Galmudug State of Somalia ( so, Dowlad Goboleedka Galmudug ee Soomaaliya), is a Federal Member State in central Somalia, with its capital at Dhusamareb. It is bordered to the north by the Pu ...
regions as well as the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs also attended the signing.


2012 Presidential Elections

Sharif's participation in the presidential contest and his acceptance of the results of his defeat was a demonstration of democracy coming to Somalia. He was widely praised for the peaceful handover of power. It was the first such transfer witnessed in Somalia in four decades.


Post-presidency (2012present)

Sharif has been called 'The Father of Modern Somalia' due to his achievements during his presidential term.


2017 presidential elections

In the 2017 presidential election,
Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed ( so, Maxaamed Cabdullaahii Maxaamed, ar, محمد عبدالله محمد; born 11 March 1962), also known as Farmaajo, is a Somali politician who served as president of Somalia from 2017 to 2022. He was prime minist ...
, who Sharif had earlier instated as Prime Minister, succeeded
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Hassan Sheikh Mohamud ( so, Xasan Sheekh Maxamuud, ar, حسن شيخ محمود; born 29 November 1955) is a Somali politician who has served as the president of Somalia since May 2022. He is the founder and current chairman of the Union for ...
as
President of Somalia The president of Somalia ( so, Madaxaweynaha Soomaaliya) is the head of state of Somalia. The president is also commander-in-chief of the Somali Armed Forces. The president represents the Federal Republic of Somalia, and the unity of the Som ...
. In the second and final round of parliamentary votes, Sharif received 45 votes to Mohamed's 185.


Himilo Qaran

Sharif founded the Himilo Qaran party in December 2018 ahead of the 2020 elections. In 2019 Himilo Qaran joined the Forum for National Parties an alliance of Somali political parties. In October 2019 Himilo Qaran joined the alliance of Somali political parties, the Forum for National Parties.


Forum for National Parties

In September 2019 Sharif founded the
Forum for National Parties The Forum for National Parties (Madasha Xisbiyada Qaran) is an alliance of political parties in Somalia founded in October 2019. The alliance includes Himilo Qaran party, led by former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and Peace and Development Par ...
an alliance of six political parties including his own party Himilo Qaran and the UPD which is the party of his successor
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Hassan Sheikh Mohamud ( so, Xasan Sheekh Maxamuud, ar, حسن شيخ محمود; born 29 November 1955) is a Somali politician who has served as the president of Somalia since May 2022. He is the founder and current chairman of the Union for ...
. The FNP alliance has united the leadership of the country to work together toward resolving Somalia's political and security issues. Since it was formed, the FNP has campaigned on various issues which include
humanitarian aid Humanitarian aid is material and logistic assistance to people who need help. It is usually short-term help until the long-term help by the government and other institutions replaces it. Among the people in need are the homeless, refugees, and v ...
, dialogue with FGS, and the Somali election model.


Council of Presidential Candidates

In November 2020 Sharif was elected as chairman of the Council of Presidential Candidates, which has been active in holding the Somali government to account on the procedures concerning of the upcoming elections. The CPC has worked on resolving issues such as security issues and the election impasse in the 2021 elections.


2022 presidential elections

In January 2019 Sharif announced his intention to stand for the 2021 presidential election on the ticket of his political party Himilo Qaran, citing the "inability of the current leadership to restore peace and security" against al-Shabaab militants who still control large rural regions of the country. As a group of 14 presidential candidates met in Mogadishu for a six day conference in November 2020 the Council of Presidential Candidates was formed and Sharif was nominated as chairman. On 15 May 2022, Sharif received 39 of 328 parliamentary votes cast in the first round of voting, placing him in fifth place and not proceeding to the second round. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was the winner.


Awards and honours


Fellowship, Boston University

Sharif is beneficiary of the former-Presidents-In-Residence fellowship initiated by
Boston University Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original cam ...
in Massachusetts, USA. The scholarship is administered by the African Presidential Archives and Research Center (APARC). It hosts programs including debates on public policy to extend knowledge of the complexities and resources in Africa.


References


External links


Sharif Sheikh Ahmed
official Twitter account
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed
on
Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dust ...

Djibouti Agreement

Kampala Accord

, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmed, Sheikh Sharif 1966 births Living people Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia politicians People from Middle Shabelle Presidents of Somalia University of Kordofan alumni People of the Somali Civil War Somalian Sunni Muslim scholars of Islam