Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi
Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Irro) | |
|---|---|
| Cabdiraxmaan Maxamed Cabdillaahi Cirro عبد الرحمن محمد عبد الله عِرُّو | |
.jpg) Official portrait, 2024 | |
| 6th President of Somaliland | |
| Assumed office 12 December 2024 | |
| Vice President | Mohamed Aw-Ali Abdi |
| Preceded by | Muse Bihi Abdi |
| 4th Speaker of the Somaliland House of Representatives | |
| In office November 2005 – 2 August 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Ahmed Mohamed Adan |
| Succeeded by | Bashe Mohamed Farah |
| Chairman of Waddani | |
| In office October 2012 – 16 November 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Hersi Ali Haji Hassan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 April 1956 Hargeisa, British Somaliland (present-day Somaliland) |
| Citizenship |
|
| Political party | Waddani (since 2012) |
| Other political affiliations | Justice and Welfare Party (until 2010) |
| Alma mater | SOS Sheikh Secondary School American University (MBA) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | www |
Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Somali: Cabdiraxmaan Maxamed Cabdillaahi Cirro, Arabic: عبد الرحمن محمد عبد الله; born 24 April 1956), colloquially known as Irro, is a Somaliland politician and diplomat who has been the 6th and current President of Somaliland since 12 December 2024.
Abdirahman served as speaker of the Somaliland House of Representatives during most of the first elected parliament.[1][2][3][4] He was announced as the presidential nominee in the 2024 Somaliland presidential election for the Waddani Party. He surprisingly won the election.[5]
Career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Professionally, Abdirahman worked at the Settlement Development Agency (Dan-wadaagaha) in different parts of Somalia. From 1981, he took on a position in the foreign service of the Somali Democratic Republic. Abdirahman also served in the Somali Embassy as the first consular in Moscow, which covered the entire Soviet Union.[6] In 1991, he was re-appointed as Somalia's acting Ambassador to the Soviet Union. In this capacity, Abdirahman assisted the many Somali expatriates who had left Somalia following outbreak of the civil war. He later relocated to Finland in 1996 to join his family, who had moved there a few years prior,[7] and subsequently received Finnish citizenship.[8] He belongs to the Abukar Logeh branch of the Musa Abdallah subclan of the Habr Yunis.
UCID Party
[edit]In 2005, Abdirahman was elected in the 2005 Somaliland parliamentary election to represent the Justice and Welfare Party (UCID) in Sahil.[9]
The UCID political party was the first opposition party formally formed in Somaliland after the ruling United Peoples' Democratic Party (UDUB), while other politicians generally focused their opposition against the region's incumbent Egal administration (AHN). UCID also supported the referendum which put the foundation for the multi-party system, a process which many politicians have opposed and saw favouring Egal (AHN).[10]
2005 Somaliland parliamentary election
[edit]Somaliland held elections to an 82-member House of Representatives on 29 September 2005.[11] It was the first multi-party parliamentary election conducted in Somaliland since 1991, when the civil war began.
2017 Somaliland presidential election
[edit]The 2017 Somaliland presidential election was the third direct presidential election since 2003, held nominally on 13 November 2017. The result was a victory for ruling Kulmiye party candidate Muse Bihi Abdi, who received 55% of the vote. Abdirahman received 41% of the vote.[12]
2024 Somaliland presidential election
[edit]Abdirahman was elected President of Somaliland in the 2024 Somaliland presidential election as the candidate of the Waddani Party. He won nearly 64% of the vote, while incumbent president Muse Bihi Abdi received 35%.[13] He was inaugurated on 12 December 2024.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ Anderson, Mark (2 February 2012). "Somaliland says new laws show intent to fight piracy". Reuters Africa. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
- ^ "Somalia: Parliament Votes to Attend Conference in London". AllAfrica. 2 May 2012. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
- ^ "Somalia: Who's who in Somaliland politics". IRIN Africa. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 16 September 2009. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
- ^ The Europa World Year Book 2007. Taylor & Francis Group. 2007. p. 4060. ISBN 978-1857434149.
- ^ "Breakaway Somaliland's Opposition Leader Wins Presidential Poll". Barron's. 19 November 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ "Candidates". Xisbiga Waddani. 20 August 2017. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ "Irro's Biography". Qarannews. 20 February 2014. Archived from the original on 9 March 2014.
- ^ "Espoolainen "Hyeena" ja vantaalainen "Valkohapsi" kamppailevat valinnasta Somalimaan presidentiksi – entiset kämppäkaverit riitautuivat valtapelissä tappouhkausten partaalle". HS.fi (in Finnish). 13 November 2017. Archived from the original on 13 November 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
- ^ "A Vote for Peace: How Somaliland Successfully Hosted its First Parliamentary elections in 35 Years". Africa Portal. 31 August 2005. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ Abdiwahab A. Iidaan (20 February 2014). "Who is Mr. Abdirahman Irro". Qarannews. Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
- ^ "House of Representatives History". Republic of Somaliland. 28 March 2012. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
- ^ "UNSOM CONGRATULATES MR. MUSE BIHI ABDI ON HIS ELECTION AS PRESIDENT OF "SOMALILAND"". UNSOM. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ "Opposition's Abdullahi wins presidential election in breakaway Somaliland". Al Jazeera. 19 November 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
- ^ "Somaliland's new president is sworn in after elections that boosted region's drive for recognition". Associated Press. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
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