Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi
Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 24, 1956 |
| Other names | Irro |
| Occupation(s) | Statesman, diplomat, politician |
| Known for | President of Somaliland since 12 December 2024; former Speaker of the Somaliland House of Representatives; 2024 Waddani Party presidential candidate |
Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (, ; born 24 April 1956), widely recognized as Irro (), is a prominent Somaliland statesman and diplomat who has held the office of the President of Somaliland since 12 December 2024, serving as the sixth individual to assume this role.
Prior to his presidency, he was the speaker of the Somaliland House of Representatives for the majority duration of the inaugural elected parliamentary term. Abdullahi was also the presidential candidate representing the Waddani Party in the 2024 Somaliland presidential election.
Early career
Abdirahman launched his career with the Settlement Development Agency (Dan-wadaagaha) in Somalia. Beginning in 1981, he joined the diplomatic corps of the Somali Democratic Republic, where he notably served as first consular officer at Somalia’s Embassy in Moscow, overseeing relations with the Soviet Union. In 1991, he was appointed acting Ambassador to the Soviet Union, providing support to Somali nationals displaced amid the Somali Civil War. He moved to Finland in 1995 to reunite with family and subsequently acquired Finnish citizenship.
UCID Party
In 2005, Abdullahi secured election as a representative of the Justice and Welfare Party (UCID) for Sahil during the 2005 Somaliland parliamentary election. The UCID emerged as Somaliland’s initial formal opposition party following the ruling United Peoples' Democratic Party (UDUB), campaigning for a multi-party political system via referendum—a proposal resisted by many politicians aligned with the incumbent Egal government.
2005 Somaliland parliamentary election
On 29 September 2005, Somaliland held elections for its 82-seat House of Representatives, marking its first multi-party parliamentary vote since 1991.
2017 Somaliland presidential election
The presidential election conducted on 13 November 2017 resulted in Muse Bihi Abdi of the ruling Kulmiye party winning with 55% of votes, surpassing Abdullahi who garnered 41%.
2024 Somaliland presidential election
In the 2024 presidential race, Abdullahi representing the Waddani Party obtained nearly 64% of ballots cast, defeating then-president Muse Bihi Abdi who received approximately 35%. Abdullahi officially assumed office on 12 December 2024.