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Ahmed Isse Awad or Ahmed Eissa Awed (; ; ; born 1955 in
Garoowe
Garowe (, ,Somali politician and diplomat who served as Somali ambassador to the United States and the
Upon completing his studies, Awad began his career in public service and diplomacy. He served as the chief of staff to Somalia's
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and foreign relations, relations, diplomacy, bilateralism, ...
.
Personal life
Hailing from theIsse Mohamoud
Isse Mohamoud or Eisse Mahmoud (; ) is a prominent sub-clan within the Majertein clan in Somalia, comprising a significant population in four regional states primarily located in Puntland.
Genealogy
The line of descent agreed upon by the an ...
sub-clan of the Majeerteen
The Majeerteen, (, ; also spelled Majerteen, Macherten, Majertain, or Mijurtin) alternately known as Mohammed Harti, are a Somali sub-clan part of the Harti branch of the Darod, Darod clan. Traditionally, they inhabit extensive territories in ...
, Awad was born in Garoowe
Garowe (, ,Somali Civil War
The Somali Civil War (; ) is an List of ongoing armed conflicts, ongoing civil war that is taking place in Somalia. It grew out of resistance to the military junta which was led by Siad Barre during the 1980s. From 1988 to 1990, the Somali Armed ...
, he settled in Canada and became a Canadian citizen. He studied at Concordia University in Mount Royal, Canada, then at the University of Khartoum
The University of Khartoum (U of K) () is a public university located in Khartoum, Sudan. It is the largest and oldest university in Sudan. UofK was founded as Gordon Memorial College in 1902 and established in 1956 when Sudan gained independen ...
and the Sudanese University of Science and Technology. Awad pursued further education in Africa, obtaining a master's degree in managing peace and security in Africa from the Institute for Peace and Security Studies.
Career
Upon completing his studies, Awad began his career in public service and diplomacy. He served as the chief of staff to Somalia's prime minister
A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
, primarily working with Prime Minister Hassan Abshir Farah
Hassan Abshir Farah (, ; June 20, 1945 – July 12, 2020) was a Somali politician. He previously served as mayor of Mogadishu and interior minister of Puntland. From November 12, 2001 to November 8, 2003, he was also prime minister of Somalia. ...
, from 2001 to 2004. During his tenure, he played an active role in the Somali peace talks held in 2003–04 in Kenya
Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
, aimed at resolving the country's protracted conflicts.
Following his time in Somalia's government, Awad joined the United Nations and engaged in peacekeeping missions in Sudan and South Sudan for almost a decade. He served in various locations, including Abyei
The Abyei Area () is an area of on the border between South Sudan and Sudan that has been accorded "special administrative status" by the 2004 Protocol on the Resolution of the Abyei Conflict (Abyei Protocol) in the Comprehensive Peace Agree ...
, Kadugli
Kaduqli or Kadugli ( ' Sudanese pronunciation: ) is the capital city of South Kordofan State, Sudan. It is located south of El-Obeid, at the northern edge of the White Nile plain in the Nuba Mountains. It contains Hilal Stadium.
Hist ...
, and Darfur
Darfur ( ; ) is a region of western Sudan. ''Dār'' is an Arabic word meaning "home f – the region was named Dardaju () while ruled by the Daju, who migrated from Meroë , and it was renamed Dartunjur () when the Tunjur ruled the area. ...
, where he contributed to efforts aimed at promoting stability and security in the region.
While Awad was a potential candidate for Somalia's prime minister position in 2014, the appointment ultimately went to Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke
Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke (; , ) (born 18 June 1960), popularly known as Omar Sharmarke, is a Somali diplomat and politician. From 2009 to 2010, he was the Prime Minister of Somalia. He subsequently briefly served as Somalia
Somalia, ...
. The following year, Awad helped establish the Somali embassy in the United States. He was appointed Ambassador of Somalia
Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...
to the United States in 2015, presenting his credentials to President Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. Ob ...
on 17 September 2015. Following disputes between United Arab Emirates-owned port operator DP World
DP World is a multinational logistics company based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It specialises in cargo logistics, port terminal operations, maritime services and free trade zones. Formed in 2005 by the merger of Dubai Ports Authority and ...
and the Somali government over the former's contract with the breakaway region of Somaliland, Awad expressed hope of normalizing relations with the United Arab Emirates after discussions.
Awad was dismissed from his position as Minister of Foreign Affairs by Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble
Mohamed Hussein Roble (; born February 1968) is a Somali politician who was the prime minister of Somalia from 23 September 2020 to 25 June 2022.
Background
He was born in Hobyo in February 1968. He received a BSc in civil engineering from th ...
in 2020.
References