Mohamed Ali Yusuf | |
|---|---|
Maxamed Cali Yusuf | |
.jpg) Gaagaab in 2022 | |
| 2ndVice President of Puntland | |
Acting | |
| In office 10 October 2004 – 8 January 2005 | |
| President | Mohamed Abdi Hashi |
| Preceded by | Mohamed Abdi Hashi |
| Succeeded by | Hassan Dahir Afqurac |
| Puntland Minister of Finance | |
| In office 25 January 2005 – 29 January 2009 | |
| President | Mohamud Muse Hersi |
| Vice President | Hassan Dahir Afqurac |
| Preceded by | Abdirahman Farole |
| Succeeded by | Farah Ali Jama |
| 2ndSpeaker of the Senate of Somalia | |
Interim | |
| In office 11 August 2021 – 26 April 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Abdi Hashi Abdullahi |
| Succeeded by | Abdi Hashi Abdullahi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1944-01-02)2 January 1944 Godobjiran,British-occupied Italian Somaliland |
| Died | 3 December 2024(2024-12-03) (aged 80) Istanbul, Turkey |
| Resting place | Galkacyo, Abdullahi Yusuf cemetery 6°47′05.2″N47°26′43.2″E / 6.784778°N 47.445333°E /6.784778; 47.445333 |
| Political party | Independent |
Mohamed Ali Yusuf Gaagaab (Somali:Maxamed Cali Yusuf; 2 January 1944 – 3 December 2024,Arabic:محمد علي يوسف جاجاب) was a Somali politician. He served as actingVice President of Puntland from 10 October 2004 to 8 January 2005, and later he was appointedMinister of Finance of Puntland beginning on 25 January 2005 to 29 January 2009. He was elected as InterimSpeaker of the Senate of Somalia from 11 August 2021 to 26 April 2022.[1][2][3]
Mohamed Ali Yusuf Gaagaab was born on 2 January 1944 inGodobjiran inNugal, Somalia, duringWorld War II after theBritish occupation of Italian Somalia.[4][1] He was from theOmar Mohamoud clan ofMajeerteen,Darod.[5]
He studied his primary and secondary education inGalkayo. He graduated from Jamal Abdinashir High School inMogadishu in 1965.[4] He received a scholarship fromEast Germany to study law in 1965, earning a master's degree in philosophy and international law.[4]
Gaagaab returned to Somalia and worked as an assistant professor at the Faculty of Law of theSomali National University.[4]
He was imprisoned from 1985 for seven years under theSiad Barre regime for his party's revolutionary aims in Somalia, including founding a magazine.[4] He left Somalia in 1992 forDenmark.[4] He returned toSomalia in 1996 to join theSomali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF).[4]
After PresidentAbdullahi Yusuf Ahmed announced his resignation on 10 October 2004, to run for the2004 presidential election of theTransitional Federal Government of Somalia, and former vice PresidentMohamed Abdi Hashi became the actingpresident, Gaagaab became the actingvice President as a transitional period until the next presidential election. He was succeeded byHassan Dahir Afqurac on 8 January 2005.[6]
Gaagaab ran unsuccessfully for the2005 presidency of Puntland.[7] Later he was appointedPuntland's Minister of Finance under PresidentMohamud Muse Hersi.
In April 2007, a boy from a minority clan was accidentally shot and killed by troops trying to quell a demonstration. Gaagaab refused to pay compensation. However, he paid compensation to another majority clan, which was criticized as discriminatory against the minority clan.[8]
In July 2008, he visitedBosaso as the Minister of Finance. He made it clear that he would strengthen economic ties with theUnited Arab Emirates.[9] In August 2008, Gaagaab was criticized by opposition members for harassing them by placing soldiers near the entrance to the assembly.[10]
After his term expired on 29 January 2009, he vacated as Minister of Finance.[11] His replacement wasFarah Ali Jama.[12]
In January 2010, Gaagaab chaired a conference on security inGalkayo in his capacity as Director of the Galkayo Education Center for Peace and Development (GECPD).[13]
In November 2011, after a disagreement between the Puntland andGalmudug governments regarding security, Gaagaab called on both sides to reach a peaceful resolution.[14]
In January 2014, Gaagaab ran for thePuntland presidential elections as an opposition candidate from the Mudugu region,[15] but announced his withdrawal, leaving it toAli Haji Warsame.[16][17] However, Ali Haji Warsame did not become president also. In August 2014, Gaagaab criticized the Federal Republic of Somalia government's decision to mergeGalmudug andHiman and Heeb to create theCentral Regions State as a violation of the federal system.[18]
In August 2021, Gaagaab became aSomali Senator representing Puntland.[19] He served on the Committee On Rules of Procedure.[20]
He served from 11 August 2021 to 26 April 26, 2022 as InterimSpeaker of the Senate of Somalia.[21]
In March 2024 he opposed amendments to theConstitution of Somalia which caused theConstitutional crisis in Somalia.[22]
Gaagaab died inIstanbul, Turkey, on 3 December 2024, at the age of 80. He had been suffering from an age-related illness.[23]
His death was confirmed by his family, as well as colleagues in theUpper House of Parliament.[3]
Many leaders expressed their condolences, includingPuntland PresidentSaid Abdullahi Deni,Vice PresidentIlyas Lugator and former Puntland PresidentsAbdirahman Farole andAbdiweli Gaas.[24] Former PresidentSharif Sheikh Ahmed expressed gratitude for Gaagaab's accomplishments; he posted on X (formerlyTwitter), "President Gaagaab was a charismatic statesman and patriotic veteran who had contributed greatly to the building of the Somali state."[25][26]
Senior Puntland politicians and officials from the Somali federal government also shared messages of sympathy.[23]
Senior government officials, including theSpeaker of the Upper House of the Federal Parliament,Abdi Hashi Abdullahi, former Puntland Minister of EducationAli Haji Warsame, and SomaliMinister of Foreign AffairsAhmed Moalim Fiqi, along with others, prayed theJanasah atAden Adde International Airport on Friday, 6 December.[27] Following the funeral, the body was transported fromMogadishu toGalkayo. He was given astate funeral byVice President of PuntlandIlyas Osman Lugator and buried alongsideAbdullahi Yusuf cemetery.[28]
Media related toMohamed Ali Yusuf at Wikimedia Commons| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Vice President of Puntland 2004–2005 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Puntland Minister of Finance 2005–2009 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Speaker of the Senate of Somalia 2021–2022 | Succeeded by |
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