World leaders have been congratulating Somalia’s President-elect Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on his election victory.
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Somalia’s president from 2012 to 2017, was elected after a third round of voting by the country’s 328 lawmakers. Soon after, he was sworn in.
Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, the outgoing president, has encouraged Somalis to “support and pray for the success” of the new president.
Farmajo tweeted; “I congratulate the president-elect, my brother, H.E @HassanSMohamud on his election as our nation’s 10th president. I urge all my fellow citizens to support & pray for his success. I would like to express my appreciation to everyone who contributed to smooth & peaceful elections.”
Abiy Ahmed, the prime minister of Ethiopia, said he is looking forward to working with the Somali president on regional issues.
Ahmed tweeted; “I would like to congratulate former President @HassanSMohamud on being re-elected as the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia. I look forward to working closely with you on common bilateral and regional interests.”
Ilhan Omar, a Somali-American politician, stated that the Somali people were all winners in the elections.
“The country needs all of you to work together as it moves forward from decades of instability,” she tweeted.
Somali’s Deputy Chief of Staff Abdinur Mohamed also tweeted; “I extend my warmest congratulations to H.E @HassanSMohamud , the Republic’s 10th President. My prayers to Allah to help him undertake this huge responsibility. With campaign ending, our focus must shift to state-building efforts and uniting the Somali people.”
The European Union ambassador to Somalia also tweeted her congratulations.
She said; “Congratulations to HE Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, new #president of #Somalia”
The UK’s Minister for Africa, Vicky Ford, said she was looking forward to her government “continuing its close work to support on building stability, tackling al-Shabab and supporting those affected by the devastating drought” in Somalia.
Vicky Ford said; “Congratulations to @HassanSMohamud on being elected President of Somalia. GB looks forward to continuing its close work to support 🇸🇴 on building stability, tackling Al-Shabaab and supporting those affected by the devastating drought.”
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is the founder and current chairman the Union for Peace and Development Party. A civil and political activist, Mohamud was previously a university professor and dean.
In April 2013, Mohamud was named in the Time 100, TIME magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. His efforts at advancing national reconciliation, anti-corruption measures, and socio-economic and security sector reforms in Somalia were cited as reasons for the selection. He was born in Jalalaqsi, a small agricultural town situated in central Hiran in present-day Somalia, during the trusteeship period and comes from a middle-class background.
Hassan is married to Qamar Ali Omar and has children. He speaks Somali and English.