Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke is a Somali diplomat and politician. From 2009 to 2010, he was the Prime Minister of Somalia. He subsequently briefly served as Somalia's Ambassador to the United States in 2014. In December 2014, Sharmarke was reappointed Prime Minister of Somalia.
Background
Sharmarke was born June 18, 1960, in Mogadishu, Somalia, although his family is from the country’s Puntland region. His father, Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, was Somalia’s prime minister, and then president and was assassinated on October 15, 1969, by his bodyguards in the run-up to a military coup. Sharmarkee’s mother, Ruqia Dahir Ali Boss, was the daughter of a noted Islamic scholar.
Education
Sharmarke went to college first at Somalia’s National University, where he received a B.A. in economics. He also went to Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, where he earned a B.A. in political science and an M.A. in political economics. Sharmarke holds dual Canadian and Somali citizenship.
Sharmarke’s first professional jobs wrst professional jobs were for a Somali bank and for Coca-Cola. He later went to work for the non-governmental organization Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives in Canada. Sharmarke went to work for the United Nations in 2000, serving in Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone and the Darfur region of Sudan, where he was a political advisor. He also worked as a foreign policy adviser to former Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf, who left office in 2008. Sharmarke was also selected as Somalia’s ambassador to the United States at that time but never took up the post.
In 2009, Sharmarke was chosen to be prime minister by President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed as part of a Western-backed unity government. Sharmarke is from Somalia’s Darod ethnic group, while Sharif was Hawiye; Somalia requires there to be clan/ethnic balance among its government leaders. Sharmarke’s status as part of his country’s diaspora was thought to be a plus in the belief that he would draw support from other overseas Somalis.
Sharmarke’s tenure was rocky and short. After becoming prime minister, he had to deal with numerous attacks by Somali pirates on ships sailing past the Horn of Africa nation, including the famous raid on the Maersk Alabama chronicled in the Captain Phillips movie.
By spring of 2010, the relationship between Sharmarke and Sharif was growing more difficult. There was a vote of no confidence in May of that year, but Sharmarke refused to step down and was eventually allowed to stay on. But in September, disagreements about how to have their country’s draft constitution approved created the final rift between prime minister and president. Sharif wanted a general referendum on the constitution, while Sharmarke thought it should go before Parliament.
Achievements
Works
Anti-terrorism law
In April 2015, Sharmarke chaired a Federal Cabinet meeting to discuss a new anti-terrorism law, which had been formulated by the Ministry of National Security. The bill aims to empower the national security agencies to efficaciously handle anti-peace elements. The Council of Ministers subsequently endorsed the new law. It is now slated for deliberation and approval in the Federal Parliament
2015
Somalia-Qatar bilateral cooperation
In May 2015, Prime Minister Sharmarke, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Foreign Affairs Minister Abdisalam Omer met in Villa Somalia in Mogadishu with a visiting Qatari government delegation led by the Foreign Affairs Minister of Qatar, Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah. The officials touched on various bilateral matters, including the security and educational sectors as well as the Houthi insurgency in Yemen. Additionally, Al Attiyah reaffirmed his administration's support for the Somali government's reconstruction efforts. He also indicated that the Qatari government would invest in Somalia given the nation's abundant natural resources and other investment opportunities. Omer in turn commended the Qatari leadership for its support of security and stabilization initiatives in Somalia.
(In May 2015, Prime Minister Sharmarke, President Hassan S...)
Special Task Force on Remittances
In April 2015, Prime Minister Sharmarke and President Mohamud in conjunction with the Federal Cabinet officially launched the Special Task Force on Remittances (STFR). The multi-agency initiative is mandated with facilitating the Federal Government of Somalia's new national policy pertaining to the money transfer industry. Its main priority is centered on establishing a comprehensive strategy and a consultative implementation plan for the formalization of the local financial sector. Additionally, the STFR is tasked with helping to foster a business environment and financial infrastructure conducive to growth. It is also empowered to coordinate and speed up the endorsement of financial governance instruments and transparency associated legislation, such as the laws on Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter Financing of Terrorism (CFT). In accordance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)'s recommendations, the STFR is in turn slated to oversee the Somali federal government's campaign to ratify various international treaties. The Task Forces' membership is scheduled to be announced shortly, and will be drawn from government institutions, the remittance industry, banks and other key private sector stakeholders
(In April 2015, Prime Minister Sharmarke and President Moh...)
2015
Religion
His religion background is of the Sunni Islam.
Politics
His political views are clearly seen in the reforms taking place in Somalia. In May 2015, Sharmarke announced that his administration was developing a new nationwide taxation policy. According to the Prime Minister, the initiative aims to increase government income and further buttress the commercial sector. It is part of a broader socioeconomic stimulus plan, which will be centered on comprehensive feasibility and goal-oriented analysis. The new taxation bill is scheduled to be put before parliament for deliberation. Additionally, Sharmarke indicated that his administration would seek to attract direct foreign investments.
Views
Quotations:
"I will seek to appease their concerns and I will do everything in my power to find a permanent, legitimate and transparent solution."
"I will soon name an all-inclusive cabinet of ministers."
"We condemn this cowardly act, and our thoughts are with the relatives of the victims and the Turkish government". "These innocent Turkish citizens have lost their lives while supporting their Somali brothers."
"But let it remain clear that it will not hamper the commitment of my Government and that of our people to resurrect Somalia with the help of Allah SWT."
"Such attacks on densely populated civilian areas demonstrates the terrorist group is on the verge of annihilation thus embarking on desperate attacks to cause mayhem and confusion."
"I unreservedly condemn the barbaric attack @ Liido. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims."