Abdirahman Mohamed Mohamoud Farole (; ; 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 and later as the Minister of Finance of the Government of Puntland. From 8 January 2009 to 8 January 2014, Farole was also the President of Puntland. Farole's multipronged efforts at creating provisions and collaboration with international policies and organizations resulted in a drastic decrease in piracy along the Marinka Gardafuul (Guardafui Channel).Shortland, Anja. "Dangers of Success: The Economics of Somali Piracy." Militarised Responses to Transnational Organised Crime. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2018. 169-183.
Biography
Early years Farole was born in 1945 in the coastal town of Eyl, situated in the northeastern Nugal region of Somalia. He hails from the Reer Jarafle branch of the Isse Mohamoud sub-clan of the Majeerteen, Harti, Darod.
Personal life Abdirahman Farole had two wives. Amina Abiib died in 2015. He has lived in Australia on and off for more than ten years. His family lives in Heidelberg of Melbourne, Victoria.
A multi-linguist, he is fluent in Somali, Arabic, Italian and English.Abdirahman Mohamud Farole's resume (Somali)Puntland Marine Police Force Enters Eyl
Education Farole first pursued his post-secondary education locally, earning a Diploma of Public Health in 1964 from the Scuola Professionale Sanitaria in Mogadishu, the nation's capital. The following year, he earned a Diploma in Statistics from the International Statistical Institute of Beirut in Lebanon.
In 1985, Farole completed a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics and Commerce from the Somali National University in Mogadishu. He followed that five years later with a Master of Business Administration (Major in Financial Management) from a joint partnership between the Somali National University-SOMTAD and the State University of New York at Albany. In 2005, he added to his resume a Bachelor of Arts (Major in Politics) from La Trobe University in Australia.
Career In a professional capacity, Farole worked as a senior officer/manager of major branches in Hargeisa and Berbera, and as a senior auditor/divisional manager of foreign and international departments at the Central Bank of Somalia. From 1970 to 1986, he was also director general at the Commercial & Savings Bank.
Top governmental positions Farole has held in the past include a stint as Finance Minister of the Puntland Government under the first president of Puntland, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, and as governor of the Nugaal region in the 1990s.A historic journey from opposition to the Puntland presidency The political scene: Puntland elects a new regional president He later served as Planning Minister and international cooperation government of Mohamud "Adde" Muse Hersi, the former president of Puntland. After a falling out with Muse over a deal with the Australian oil company, Range Resources, Farole spent much of the past decade in suburban Melbourne, Australia, where he was a PhD candidate in history at La Trobe University. His dissertation was on the rebuilding of banks and financial institutions after armed conflict.
President of Puntland
Appointment After having reportedly turned down requests from his fellow countrymen to run for office in the past, and with the assurance of support from various political factions, Farole returned to Somalia from Australia to present himself as a candidate in the Puntland state third presidential elections. In January 2009, he defeated the nine other candidates, including incumbent President Muse, to become the fourth President of Puntland. Despite weeks of political tension prior to the vote, the election itself was also reportedly peaceful, prompting one US-based observer to suggest that the "success of the Puntland elections can begin to provide a model for the whole of Somalia." In his election victory speech, Farole vowed to tackle head-on the pervasive piracy problem off of the Somali coast, including cracking down on local authorities that were then reportedly collaborating with pirates in return for a share of the profits.
General reforms Since taking office in 2009, the Farole administration has implemented numerous political reforms, with an emphasis on the expansion and improvement of Puntland's security and judicial sectors. In an effort to improve transparency, the new president issued a first-ever "100 Days in Office report".
To bolster the Puntland's justice system, numerous new prosecutors, judges and other court personnel as well as additional prison guards were hired and trained. In July 2010, the Puntland Council of Ministers unanimously approved a new anti-terrorism law to more efficiently handle terror suspects and their accomplices; a special court is also expected to be established within the region's existing criminal courts system to facilitate the task.
Fiscally, a transparent, budget-based public finance system was established, which has reportedly helped increase public confidence in government.
More modest reforms were also put into motion in the social sector, particularly in the education and healthcare fields. The regional government hired more healthcare workers and teachers, with major plans underway for school and hospital renovations.
Multi-partism
On 15 June 2009, the Farole administration passed a new regional draft constitution, which is believed to represent a significant step toward the eventual introduction of a multi-party political system to the region for the first time. Such a system already exists in the adjacent Somaliland region.
On 15 April 2012, the Puntland government opened a four-day constitutional convention officially inaugurating the new state constitution. Overseen by the Puntland Electoral Commission (PEC), the constitution represented the final step in the extant regional democratisation process and was scheduled to be followed by the formation of political parties.
On 12 September 2012, the Puntland Election Commission announced that the registration process for political parties in Puntland was now open. This came after the passing of the Political Association Law, the Referendum Act, the District Elections Law and the inauguration of the state constitution. With District Council elections slated for early 2013, the three political organisations that have earned the most seats across 21 demarcated districts will then constitute the region's official parties. They will also be challengers in the next elections, scheduled for January 2014.
On 12 November 2012, Members of the Puntland House of Representatives amended the Puntland Electoral Law after convening in the state capital, Garowe. The amendment lowers the minimum required number of votes that each political association must secure per province from 500 to 300. It also stipulates that parties should have bureaus open in all of Puntland's eight regions.
On 14 November 2012, Farole announced the launching of his new political party, Horseed. The association counts over 200 members and represents the incumbent Puntland government, including Vice President, Abdisamad Ali Shire and the state Ministers. It is the first prospective party to register for an application with the Transitional Puntland Electoral Commission (TPEC). According to Farole, the general public will be eligible for membership in the organisation once it is selected as an official political party.
Puntland Agency For Social Welfare In May 2009 the Puntland Agency for Social Welfare (PASWE) was founded. The agency provides medical, educational and counselling support to vulnerable groups and individuals such as orphans, the disabled and the blind. PASWE is overseen by a board of directors, which consists of religious scholars (ulema), businesspeople, intellectuals and traditional elders.
Anti-piracy campaign
Between 2009 and 2010, the Farole government enacted a number of reforms and pre-emptive measures as a part of its officially declared anti-piracy campaign. The latter include the arrest, trial and conviction of pirate gangs, as well as raids on suspected pirate hideouts and confiscation of weapons and equipment; ensuring the adequate coverage of the regional authority's anti-piracy efforts by both local and international media; sponsoring a social campaign led by Islamic scholars and community activists aimed at discrediting piracy and highlighting its negative effects; and partnering with the NATO alliance to combat pirates at sea. In May 2010, construction also began on a new naval base in the town of Bandar Siyada, located 25 km west of Bosaso, the commercial capital of Puntland. The facility is funded by Puntland's regional government in conjunction with Saracen International, a UK-based security company, and is intended to assist in more effectively combating piracy. The base will include a center for training recruits, and a command post for the naval force.
These numerous security measures appear to have borne fruit, as many pirates were apprehended in 2010, including a prominent leader. Puntland's security forces also reportedly managed to force out the pirate gangs from their traditional safe havens such as Eyl and Gar'ad, with the pirates now primarily operating from the Galmudug region to the south.
Galgala campaign
In August 2010, Puntland security forces launched an offensive against militants led by Mohamed Said Atom, an arms-smuggler on both US and U.N. security watch-lists who had vowed war on the Farole administration. The insurgents were reportedly hiding out in the Galgala hills. Atom had fled just before the attack that left more than 100 militants dead, having reportedly misled his men prior to the Puntland army's offensive by promising reinforcements from the Islamist Al-Shabaab group via the town of Burao in the Somaliland region.
By late October, Puntland military personnel had seized the last insurgent outposts, Somalia: Troops seize 'last insurgent outpost' in Galgala: Puntland general though fighting later sporadically flared up again as militants loyal to Atom attempted to ambush Puntland soldiers.Somalia: Puntland Government Forces Kill 21 Al Shabaab Militants Two Puntland Forces Dead in Fighting With Atom
Galmudug Accord
In response to sporadic targeted assassination attempts by Al-Shabaab militants against Puntland public officials in the north-central city of Galkayo, the Farole administration in 2010–2011 launched a police crackdown and set in motion comprehensive administrative reform.Retired Puntland official killed in Galka'yo; calm returns in northern Somalia after clashSOMALIA: Puntland President fires Mudug governor, dissolves Galkaio district council The Puntland and Galmudug authorities subsequently signed an accord in Garowe in February 2011, officially agreeing to co-operate on security, economic and social matters so as to strengthen inter-regional relations.An Agreement Jointly Signed by Puntland and Galmudug In April of that year, the Puntland government also replaced the Mudug region's Governor and his deputies and dissolved the local district council. A separate interim regional committee tasked with assuring security was also set up.
Puntland Maritime Police Force