Mohamed Abdullahi Omaar


Mohamed Abdullahi Omaar is a Somali politician and diplomat. He twice served as the Foreign Minister of Somalia.

Biography

Omaar was born into a prominent Habr Awal Isaaq family. He is the elder son of businessman Abdullahi Omaar. He also has three younger siblings: one of his sisters, Raqiya Omaar, is a human rights advocate, and his younger brother Rageh Omaar is a journalist. His family was based in Hargeisa and reportedly have properties and estates in the city; the 6 piano neighborhood and the US Mission Headquarters belong to their family.
Omaar was educated at a boarding school in Dorset before graduating from Trinity College, Oxford University.

Political career

Omaar served as one of the Foreign Ministers of Somalia, having been appointed to the office on February 20, 2009 by then Prime Minister, Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke.
After working in various other governmental posts, on November 12, 2010, Omaar was re-appointed Foreign Minister in addition to one of several Deputy Prime Ministers by the new Somali Premier, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed.
Starting August 2011, Mohamed Mohamud Ibrahim served as Omaar's Deputy Foreign Minister.
Following a cabinet reshuffle in February 2012, Abdullahi Haji Hassan succeeded Omaar as the new Foreign Minister.
Puntland and Qatar supported Dr. Omaar’s bid to become Prime Minister of Somalia in late 2013.