Yusuf Garaad Omar

Yusuf Garaad Omar (Somali: Yuusuf Garaad Cumar, Arabic: يوسف جراد عمر) (born 26 June 1960 in Mogadishu) is a Somali journalist, diplomat and politician. He previously served as Somalia ambassador to the United Nations and was a senior advisor to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.[1][2] He was the Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs from March 2017[3] until he was fired by then Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire in January 2018.[4][5]

Yusuf Garaad Omar
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
29 March 2017 – 4 January 2018
PresidentMohamed Abdullahi Mohamed
Prime MinisterHassan Ali Khaire
Preceded byAbdusalam H. Omer
Succeeded byAhmed Isse Awad
Ambassador of Somalia to the United Nations
Assumed office
November 2016
Preceded byElmi Ahmed Duale
Personal details
Born (1960-06-26) 26 June 1960
Mogadishu, Trust Territory of Somalia
Alma materSomali National University
University of Siena
OccupationDiplomat

Early life and education

Omar was born on 26 June 1960 in the Hamar Jajab district of Mogadishu, Somalia.[6] He attended high school in the capital. Omar later studied French at the Somali National University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in linguistics. In 1990, he moved to Italy and pursued an advanced degree in anthropology at the University of Siena.[6] He later on attended the Global Master of Arts Program at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Massachusetts, USA. He is also multilingual, speaking Somali, Italian, French and English.[6]

Career

Journalism and politics

In a professional capacity, Omar has worked as a professional journalist for many years. He initially was a correspondent with Radio Mogadishu from 1984 until the outbreak of the civil war in Somalia in 1991. Omar thereafter served as a freelance reporter in Italy. He later joined the BBC Somali Service in 1992, eventually becoming the chairman of the department eight years later.[6]

In 2012, Yusuf left from his position at the BBC to run for political office in Somalia. He subsequently presented himself as one of the potential candidates in the country's 2012 presidential elections.[7]

in 2013 he served as a senior Adviser to the President of Somalia. He was also assigned to a number of key tasks including negotiations with the Breakaway Somali Region of Somaliland aimed at safeguarding the territorial integrity and the unity of Somalia.[6]

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somalia

On 21 March 2017, Omar was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somalia by then Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire. He succeeded Abdusalam H. Omer at the position.[3] On 29 March 2017, Omar formally assumed office after sworn in.

See also

References
  1. "New Permanent Representative of Somalia Presents Credentials". United Nations. 11 November 2016.
  2. "Somali Ambassador To UN Present His Credentials To Ban Ki-Moon". Radio Dalsan.
  3. "Somali PM announces new Cabinet". Anadolu Agency.
  4. "Somalia PM sacks three ministers as country battles insurgency". Reuters. 4 January 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  5. "Somalia PM sacks three ministers as country battles insurgency - World News". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  6. "THE MINISTER". mfa. 29 March 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  7. "Somalia's presidential vote". AFP. 10 September 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
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