Yusuf Mohamed Ismail "Bari-Bari" ( so, Yuusuf Maxamed Ismaaciil, ar, يوسف محمد إسماعيل, born 15 July 1958 – died 27 March 2015) was a
Somali diplomat and politician. He was the Ambassador of
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 Constituti ...
to the
United Nations Human Rights Office
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, commonly known as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) or the United Nations Human Rights Office, is a department of the Secretariat of the United Nati ...
in
Geneva
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...
.
Personal life
Ismail was born in 1960 in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
to an
aristocratic
Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'.
At the time of the word's ...
Somali family.
He belonged to the
Majeerteen
The Majeerteen ( so, Majeerteen, ar, ماجرتين; also spelled Majerteen, Macherten, Majertain, or Mijurtin) is a sub-clan. It is one of the major Somali groups, with a vast traditional territory spanning 3 major regions of Somalia: Bari, ...
Harti
Harti ( so, Harti, ar, هرتي), meaning "strong man", is a Somali clan family that is part of the Darod clan. The major sub-clans include the Majeerteen, Dhulbahante, Warsangali, Tinle, Maganlabe and Dishiishe, while other minor sub-clans ...
Darod
The Darod ( so, Daarood, ar, دارود) is a Somali clan. The forefather of this clan was Sheikh Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, more commonly known as ''Darood''. The clan primarily settles the apex of the Horn of Africa and its peripherie ...
clan.
His family originally hailed from
Garowe
Garowe ( so, Garoowe, ar, غَاْرَّوْؤَيَ, , the administrative capital of the northeastern
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 ...
regional state of
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 Constituti ...
.
For his tertiary education, Ismail earned a degree in political science from the
University of Bologna
The University of Bologna ( it, Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, UNIBO) is a public research university in Bologna, Italy. Founded in 1088 by an organised guild of students (''studiorum''), it is the oldest university in continuo ...
.
Career
Professionally, Ismail joined the diplomatic service. He was appointed Ambassador of Somalia to the
United Nations Human Rights Office
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, commonly known as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) or the United Nations Human Rights Office, is a department of the Secretariat of the United Nati ...
in
Geneva
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...
,
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
in 2008. In this capacity, Ismail worked to promote and protect human rights in his country of origin and around the world. Through his work with civil society groups, he is credited with having helped to establish the Council's Independent Expert on Albinism, a global panel that was formed in 2015.
On 27 March 2015, Ismail sustained injuries during an
attack on Hotel Makka al-Mukarama in
Mogadishu
Mogadishu (, also ; so, Muqdisho or ; ar, مقديشو ; it, Mogadiscio ), locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and List of cities in Somalia by population, most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port ...
by the
Al-Shabaab militant group. He later succumbed to the wounds at the hospital.
President of Somalia
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 P ...
,
Puntland President
,
former Puntland President
Abdirahman 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 a ...
,
and UN Special Representative for Somalia
Nicholas Kay
Sir Nicholas Peter Kay (born 8 March 1958) is a British diplomat. He has served as the British ambassador to Afghanistan, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. From 2013 to 2016 he was the United Nations Special Representative for Som ...
all sent their condolences to the slain diplomat's family.
The United Nations Human Rights Council also observed a minute of silence in honour of Ismail. President of the Council Ambassador
Joachim Rücker
Joachim Rücker (born May 30, 1951, in Schwäbisch Hall, Baden-Württemberg) is a German diplomat. He was the President of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Personal life
Rücker was born in 1951 in Schwäbisch Hall, Baden-Württemberg, G ...
described Ismail as a widely admired and respected leadership figure, whose commitment to global human rights left a tangible impact.
On 29 March, a state funeral for Ambassador Ismail was held in Garowe. The funeral service was attended by Puntland President Ali and various
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 Somal ...
delegates.
References
External links
Official webpage at somaligov.net
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ismail, Yusuf Mohamed
2015 deaths
Ambassadors of Somalia to Switzerland
Permanent Representatives of Somalia to the United Nations
Somalian diplomats
Somalian murder victims
Somalian Muslims
Somalian politicians
People from Garowe
University of Bologna alumni
1958 births