Abdullahi Ahmed Addow
Abdullahi Ahmed Addow | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 15, 1936 Brava, Lower Shabelle, Somalia |
| Occupation(s) | Statesman, diplomat |
| Known for | Somali Ambassador to the United States; Minister of Finance; multiple presidential candidate |
Abdullahi Ahmed Addow (, ) is a distinguished Somali statesman and diplomat.
Early life
Born on 15 May 1936 in Brava, located in the southeastern part of Somalia's Lower Shabelle region, Addow hails from the Habar Gidir sub-clan within the larger Hawiye clan family.
Diplomatic and Financial Roles
Addow held the position of Somalia's Ambassador to the United States during two separate periods: first from 1970 until 1980, and later from 1986 to 1988. Between these appointments, he was appointed as the Minister of Finance from 1980 to 1984, managing the country’s fiscal policies amid a pivotal economic era.
Presidential campaigns
He has sought the Presidency of Somalia on three occasions. In the year 2000, amid the Somali peace negotiations in Arta, Djibouti, Addow was defeated in the third voting round by former Interior Minister Abdiqasim Salad Hassan, garnering 92 votes compared to Hassan’s 145.
In 2004, he once more pursued the presidency but was defeated in the third round by former Puntland President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, with a vote count of 79 against Ahmed’s 189. His final presidential attempt occurred during Somalia's 2012 electoral process.