Sharif Sheikh Ahmed

 Sharif Sheikh Ahmed (Somali: Shariif Sheekh Axmed, born 25 July 1964) is a Somali politician who was the 7th President of Somalia from 2009 to 2012.

From 2004 to 2007, he led the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), subsequently assuming leadership of the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) until late 2008. In January 2009, he ascended to the presidency, overseeing the country's transition from the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) during his three-year term. 

Post-presidency, he became head of the Himilo Qaran political party and also the founder and head of the Forum for National Parties. He is the chairperson of the Council of Presidential Candidates of Somalia.

Early life and career

Education

Born on 25 July 1964 in Mahaday, a town in the south of the Middle Shabelle region where studied Islam, Arabic language and memorized the Qur'an as a child. He began his education at the Sheikh Sufi Institute, which was associated with Al-Azhar University in Egypt. He studied at Libyan and Sudanese universities in the mid-1090, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Law and Islamic Shariah. 

Law career

Sharif departed for Somalia in 2000 at a time when Somalia was under the control of warlords and friends could not visit each other in Mogadishu due to clan separation and mistrust. The legacy of the civil war was apparent everywhere in Somalia and Sharif had ambitions of saving his country and his people. He established Al Shuruuq Agency, a cultural and heritage institution and the Federation of Adolescents in Mogadishu which facilitated social interaction for young Somalis who had never before crossed the boundaries formed by the warlords. As a result, the residents of Mogadishu began to cross the lines where friends, schoolmates, and elders can come together and express themselves in a positive way. Sharif became a regional attorney of his home province, middle Shabelle, where he was elected chairman of a provincial court in Jowhar between 2001 and 2002.

Armed groups in the Somali capital who exploited the disintegration of the central government had been responsible for countless kidnappings and killings. The court was established through a campaign which Sharif led to secure the release of an abducted child. The court was successful in securing the release of the child and other abductees as well as looted vehicles, The court went on to suppress the violence of gangs and warlords which was prevalent throughout the capital. Subsequently, all five Islamic courts united and Sharif, who had always been seen as the moderate face of the Islamic Courts Union, was elected to become the chair. 

Somalia was already beginning to see swift political and economic changes under his first six months of leadership. Warlords and their influence were eliminated from the city with the help of the people's support which made it possible for the first time in sixteen years to reopen Mogadishu International Airport and Mogadishu Port. Top UN officials have referred to this period as a Golden era' in the history of Somali politics. 

At the time the Transitional Federal Government which was established in Mbagathi, Nairobi in 2004, was a fragile body which was divided and weak. The Ethiopian army invaded Somalia claiming that it was trying to help the Transitional Federal Government and overthrew the Islamic Court Union. Sharif met with the Us Ambassador to Kenya for talks concerning cooperation with Transitional Federal Government, after which he left for Yemen to meet with other former Islamic Court members.

Pre-presidential political career

As an exiled opposition leader Sharif, the former leader of the Islamic Court Union, was in search of a headquarters for establishing a new political party, the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia. In September 2017 nearly 500 delegates gathered in Asmara, Eritrea, including Islamists, parliamentarians, civil society and the diaspora and adopted a constitution. Sharif's party the Alliance of the Re-liberation of Somalia signed a peace treaty with the Transitional Federal Government on 9 June 2008 in Djibouti called the Djibouti Agreement.

President of Somalia

The Sharif administration successfully brought the Federal Government Somalia through transitional status following the collapse of the previous governing administration in 1991.

His administration is credited with developing Somalia's constitution and setting up key institutions such as the police, the military and the judiciary. He established the Somali National Army, opened the main the sea port of Mogadishu and relaunched the central bank.

Under Sharif's leadership, the Transitional Federal Government succeeded in driving out Al-Shabaab from the capital city and its surroundings, establishing security, peace and reconciliation through the difficult transitional period.

Presidential Election 2009

After winning the vote in the early hours of 31 January 2009, President Sharif was sworn in later in the day at the Kempinski hotel in Djibouti. Sharif vowed to from a broad-based government and invited all armed groups in the war-ravaged Horn of Africa nation to join the UN-sponsored reconciliation effort. Ahmedou Ould-Abdullah, the UN's special envoy for Somalia, praised the "transparent" presidential vote. "We are finally seeing progress from the hard work by all sides to create an inclusive parliament," Ould-Abdullah said in a statement. 

Appointment of Prime Minister

Sharif appointed former First Secretary of the Somali embassy in Washington, Mohamed Abdullah Mohamed, as the new Prime Minister of Somalia in October 2010 after the resignation of Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statements commending the Somali leadership for having reached a consensus on procedural arrangements that facilitated a transparent and consultative confirmation of the new Premier. 

Al-Shabaab withdrawal from Mogadishu

On 6 August 2011, Sharif announced that his military had defeated Islamist rebels battling to overthrew his Western-backed government after Al-Shabaab began withdrawing fighters from the capital Mogadishu. 

Kampala Accord

The Kampala Accord was an agreement made in Kampala, Uganda in line with the Transitional Federal Charter of the Somali Republic to bring and end to the transitional phase of the Transitional Federal Government on 20 August 2011. it was signed on 9 June 2011 by HE sharif Sheikh Ahmed, President of the Transitional Federal Government, Hon Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta  Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda and Augustine Mahiga, Special Representative of the secretary General of the United Nations.

AMISOM visit

In September 2011, Sharif visited Burundian peacekeepers serving in his country in a show of support for African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM). " I came to pay a visit to the AMISOM peacekeepers and the Somali soldiers, " the president told reporters before heading back to Villa Somalia after meeting ended.  " The intention was to find out how the soldiers are doing and how ready they are to help the Somali people and the government.  As you can see they are really prepared and have high spirits to end the problems affecting the Somali people.  The two forces have a good working relationship, and we hope their partnership will result in a victory for our country and removal of the enemy. " 

Garowe Conference

 

In February 2012, Sharif and other Somali government officials met in the northeastern town of Garowe to discuss post-transition political arrangements.  After extensive deliberations attended by regional actors and international observers, the conference ended in a signed agreement between the President, Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, Speaker of Parliament Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole, Galmudug President Mohamed Ahmed Alin and Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a representative Khalif Abdukadir Noor stipulating that: 

1. A new 225 members bicameral parliament would be formed, with a lower house and an upper house seating 54 senator's.
2.  30% of the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) is earmarked for women.
3.  The President is to be appointed via a constitutional election. 
4.  The Prime Minister is selected by the President and he/she then names his/her Cabinet. 

London Conference on Somalia

Sharif spoke at the London Conference on Somalia on 23 February 2012. Sharif said: " To all of you who have exerted every effort so that you could put an end to the suffering to Somali people, we would like to say that we appreciate this wonderful effort." US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and representatives from over 40 governments attended the London Conference on Somalia, to discuss rebuilding of Somalia and the tackling of piracy, terrorism and famine. 

2012 Istanbul Conference on Somalia 

On 1 June 2012, Sharif and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attended the Istanbul Conference on Somalia to promote global reconstruction efforts and to back up on going stabilization efforts.

New Constitution 

On 23 June 2012, the Somali Federal Government and regional leaders met again and approved a draft constitution after several days of deliberation. The National Constituent Assembly overwhelmingly passed the new constitution on 1 August, with 96% voting for it, 2% against it, and 2% abstaining. 

2012 Presidential Elections

 

Sharif's participation in the presidential contest and his acceptance of the results of his defeat was a demonstration of democracy coming to Somalia. He was widely praised for the peaceful handover of power.  It was the such transfer witnessed in Somalia in four decades. 

Post-presidency (2012 - present) 

Sharif has been called ' The Father on Modern Somalia' due to his achievements during his presidential term.

2017 presidential elections

 

In the 2017 presidential election, Mohamed Abdullah Mohamed, who Sharif had earlier instated as Prime Minister, succeeded  Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as President of Somalia. In the second and final round of parliamentary votes, Sharif received 45 votes to Mohamed's 185.

Himilo Qaran

Sharif founded the Himilo Qaran party in December 2018 ahead of the 2020 elections.  In 2019 Himilo Qaran joined the Forum for National Parties and alliance of Somali political parties, the Forum for National Parties.

Forum for National Parties

 In September 2019 Sharif founded the Forum for National Parties an alliance of six political parties including his party Himilo Qaran and the UPD which is the party of his successor Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.  The FNP alliance has united the leadership of the country to work together toward resolving Somalia's political and security issues. 

Since it was formed, the FND has campaigned on various issues which include humanitarian aid, dialogue with FGS, and the Somali election model.

Council of Presidential Candidates

In November 2020 Sharif was elected as chairman of the council Presidential Candidates, which has been active in holding the Somali government to account on the procedures concerning of the upcoming elections. The CPC has worked on resolving issues such as security issues and the election impasse in the 2021 elections. 

2022 presidential elections 

In January 2019 Sharif announced his intention to stand for the 2021 presidential election on the ticket of his political party Himilo Qaran, citing the "inability of the current leadership to restore peace and security" against Al-Shabaab militants who still control large rural regions of the country. As a group of 14 presidential candidates met in Mogadishu for a six day conference in November 2020 the Council of Presidential Candidates was formed and Sharif was nominated as chairman.

On 15 May 2022, Sharif received 39 of 328 parliamentary votes cast in the first round of voting, placing him in fifth place and not proceeding to the second round. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was the winner.

Awards and honours

Fellowship, Boston University

Sharif is beneficiary of the former-Presidents-In-Residence fellowship initiated by Boston University in Massachusetts, USA. The scholarship is administered by the African Presidential Archives and Research Center (APARC). It hosts programs including debates on public policy to extend knowledge of the complexities and resources in Africa.