Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed (, ; born 1959), also known as Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed Mohammad, is a Somali economist and politician, who served as the Prime Minister of Somalia from December 2013 to December 2014. He has also held senior positions with various international organizations, including the World Bank, USAID, African Union/IBAR, the European Union, the Bank of Canada, COMESA, and the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah.
During his tenure as prime minister, he enacted several domestic reforms as part of the local post-conflict development process. Among these initiatives were the development of a Work Plan within the framework of Vision 2016 and in line with the New Deal Compact and the Peace and Stabilisation Goals. He also established a new security task force and committees, approved a new Anti-terrorism law, initiated stabilization efforts in liberated areas, launched national reconciliation talks, established new educational and training institutions in Mogadishu, conducted a Population Estimation Survey for Somalia (PESS) in conjunction with the federal Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, enacted a new Media Law, restructured ministerial subcommittees within the Federal Cabinet, and established commissions for Constitutional Review and Implementation, as well as for Electoral Commission and Boundary and Federalization Commission.
Ahmed worked to strengthen bilateral cooperation with the United Arab Emirates in the areas of capacity building and the rehabilitation of government institutions. He also ratified three core International Labour Organization conventions on behalf of the Federal Republic of Somalia, adopted the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and signed the first National Indicative Programme (NIP) between Somalia and the European Union in 25 years.
As of February 2015, Ahmed serves as the chair of the Somali Forum for Unity and Democracy.
Background
Personal life Ahmed was born in 1959 in Bardera, situated in the Jubaland state of Somalia. He belongs to the Marehan Darod clan.
Ahmed moved to Canada when the civil war broke out in 1991. He holds dual Somali and Canadian citizenship.
In addition to Canada and Somalia, Ahmed has lived and worked in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Zambia, Kenya, and Malaysia. He speaks Somali, Arabic, English, Italian, and French.
Ahmed is married and has children.
Education Ahmed earned a degree in economics from the Somali National University (SNU) in Mogadishu. He later studied at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario, where he received a diploma in computer programming. Ahmed subsequently matriculated to the University of Ottawa, where he earned an M.A. in economics. He pursued doctoral studies in international trade and development at the same institution.
Ahmed also holds several professional diplomas, including a diploma in project management from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a diploma in project planning and appraisal from SIDAM, and a diploma in animal health management from the USDA and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
Early career Ahmed has worked with various specialized agencies, including: Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), ECOWAS, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), African Development Bank (AfDB), Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Global Dry land Alliance Initiative, Inter Agency Donor Group (IADG), OPEC, and Arab Funds for Development (Saudi Fund, Kuwait Fund, Qatar Foundation). Additionally, he has undertaken many international work and diplomatic missions.
From 1984 to 1990, Ahmed served as the director-general of the Livestock Marketing and Health Agency in Mogadishu.
Between 1991 and 1998, he was the chief executive officer at MISK Enterprises, a livestock exporting firm with offices in Djibouti, Sana'a, and Nairobi.
Ahmed worked as an International Development and Trade Economics Analyst at the Bank of Canada and at the University of Ottawa from 1998 to 2003.
From 2003 to 2006, he was a Program Manager at the African Union's Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (IBAR) – Red Sea Livestock Trade Commission.
Ahmed subsequently acted as a Senior Livestock and Pastoralism Advisor to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in Lusaka between 2007 and 2009.
From 2010 to 2013, Ahmed served as a Senior Agriculture and Rural Development Officer for the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah. He was part of the organization's Department of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
Ahmed does not have a previous political background.
Prime Minister of Somalia
Appointment On 12 December 2013, President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced to the Federal Parliament that Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed had been appointed as the new national prime minister, succeeding Abdi Farah Shirdon. Ahmed was selected over former finance minister Hussein Abdi Halane and former Transportation Minister Abdiwahid Elmi Gonjeh for the position.
On 21 December, legislators endorsed the selection, with 239 of the present 243 MPs voting in favor of Ahmed as prime minister, two lawmakers voting against, and two abstaining. UN Special Representative for Somalia Nicholas Kay congratulated Prime Minister Ahmed on his appointment and pledged to continue supporting the Federal Government's peace and state-building efforts.
Cabinet Ahmed subsequently initiated consultations to form a new Cabinet, which would then be presented to parliament for approval. In early January 2014, he requested a 10-day extension of the deadline to constitute a new Council of Ministers, a request that the federal legislature unanimously granted on 11 January. On 14 January, the parliament dismissed a motion to disqualify officials from former prime minister Shirdon's Cabinet from being eligible to join Ahmed's new Council of Ministers. Both Prime Minister Ahmed and President Mohamud had urged legislators to reject the motion. 113 MPs voted in favor of not conducting a vote on the motion, while 99 voted in favor of voting on the motion, and 6 abstained.
On 17 January 2014, after discussions with President Mohamud, other Somali leaders, and federal legislators, Prime Minister Ahmed agreed on a Cabinet composition, Ahmed formed a new, expanded Council of Ministers comprising 25 ministers, 25 deputy ministers, and 5 state ministers. Only two Cabinet members were retained from the previous Shirdon administration.
On 21 January 2014, in anticipation of the vote of confidence on the new Council of Ministers, Ahmed presented his government program to the Federal Parliament. He outlined the incoming administration's priorities, which included enhancing government institutions, particularly in the security sector. Ahmed announced plans to increase the number of active Somali military personnel to 28,000, consisting of 25,000 infantrymen, 2,000 naval officers, and 1,000 air force officers. He also pledged to oust militants from their remaining strongholds in southern Somalia.
On 21 January 2014, lawmakers largely approved Ahmed's new Council of Ministers. Parliament speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari announced that 184 of the 233 MPs present at the legislative session endorsed the Cabinet, 46 voted against it, and 1 lawmaker abstained from voting.
On 23 January 2014, Prime Minister Ahmed presided over his inaugural Cabinet meeting. He underscored the responsibilities of himself and his Cabinet members, emphasizing the need to strengthen the security sector, accelerate institutional reforms, and improve local service provision.
Domestic policy
Hussein national funeral committee In February 2014, Prime Minister Ahmed initiated the establishment of a governmental committee to oversee the preparations for a national funeral for the late Prime Minister of Somalia, Abdirizak Haji Hussein, who died on January 31, 2014. The panel was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ridwan Hirsi Mohamed. In addition to expressing his condolences to Hussein's family and friends, Ahmed emphasized Hussein's significant role as a leading figure in the Somali nationalist movement and a dedicated public servant.
Security committees and task force In February 2014, Prime Minister Ahmed introduced his administration's new national security strategy, which included the formation of a governmental committee tasked with investigating terrorist incidents. Alongside this, a task force was established to foster cooperation between central authorities and various sectors of society, including cabinet ministers, district administrations, law enforcement officials, religious leaders, and civil society representatives. The government also initiated the drafting of anti-terror legislation and planned to evaluate the performance of security agencies.
Stabilization initiatives In March 2014, Prime Minister Ahmed convened a meeting with international representatives to discuss the ongoing military offensive against the Al-Shabaab insurgent group and to seek support for government efforts to stabilize recently liberated areas. Security operations were underway in strategic towns like Rabdhure, Wajid, Hudur, and Burdhubo, aimed at removing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) left by militants. The federal government committed to delivering relief assistance and coordinating stabilization initiatives through regional representatives. The US Department of State expressed support for the military campaign and pledged further assistance, while UN Special Representative for Somalia Nicholas Kay emphasized collaboration between the Somali government and its international partners for stabilization efforts.
Office for religious scholarship In March 2014, Prime Minister Ahmed hosted a meeting with Somali Islamic leaders during which he announced the establishment of a government office for religious scholars. The gathering was attended by several government officials, including deputy prime minister and Minister of Religious Affairs Ridwan Hirsi Mohamed, Minister of Information Mustaf Ali Duhulow, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Farah Sh. Abdulkadir Mohamed, Minister of Agriculture Abdi Ahmed Hussein, as well as 16 religious scholars. According to Ahmed, the new bureau is intended to enhance cooperation between the federal government and religious authorities, playing a role in policy-making and influencing the public. The office is also tasked with preserving Muslim traditions from extremist manipulation. Second Chairman of the Somali Religious Scholars Union, Nor Barud, expressed gratitude for the meeting and emphasized the importance of clarifying traditional Islamic principles.
Aviation Training Academy In April 2014, Prime Minister Ahmed laid the foundation stone for a new national Aviation Training Academy at the Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu. The event was attended by officials such as Minister of Air and Land Transport Said Jama Mohamed, Minister of Finance Hussein Abdi Halane, the Turkish ambassador, and the airport's general manager. Ahmed emphasized that the institution would enhance the skills of aviation personnel within the country, focusing on training domestic talent. Additionally, he inspected the construction of a modern terminal funded by the Turkish Favori aviation firm, aimed at improving the airport's functionality. Minister Qorshel stated that the new terminal's construction was expected to take six months and would help ease congestion at the Aden Adde International Airport.
Meteorological Institute