Ethnicity Somali Role Journalist Name Yusuf Omar | Religion Islam Occupation journalist | |
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Yusuf Garaad Omar (Somali: Yuusuf Garaad Cumar, Arabic: يوسف جراد عمر) (born 26 June 1960 in Mogadishu) is a Somali journalist, diplomat and politician. He previously served as Somalia ambassador to the United Nations and he was also a senior advisor to the president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. He has been Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs since 29 March 2017.
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Early life and education
Omar was born in 26 June 1960 in the Hamar Jajab district of Mogadishu, Somalia. He attended high school in the capital. Omar later studied French at the Somali National University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in linguistics. In 1990, he moved to Italy and pursued an advanced degree in anthropology at the University of Siena. He later on attended the Global Master of Arts Program at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Massachusetts, USA. He is also multilingual, speaking Somali, Italian, French and English.
Journalism and politics
In a professional capacity, Omar has worked as a professional journalist for many years. He initially was a correspondent with Radio Mogadishu from 1984 until the outbreak of the civil war in Somalia in 1991. Omar thereafter served as a freelance reporter in Italy. He later joined the BBC Somali Service in 1992, eventually becoming the chairman of the department eight years later.
In 2012, Yusuf retired from his position at the BBC to run for political office in Somalia. He subsequently presented himself as one of the potential candidates in the country's 2012 presidential elections.
in 2013 he served as a senior Adviser to the President of Somalia. He was also assigned to a number of key tasks including negotiations with the Breakaway Somali Region of Somaliland aimed at safeguarding the territorial integrity and the unity of Somalia.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somalia
On 21 March 2017, Omar was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somalia by new Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire.He succeeded Abdusalam H. Omer at the position On 29 March 2017, Omar formally assumed office after sworn in.