Omar Sharmarke occupation politician
Career
Early career
Sharmarke has worked in a diplomatic capacity for the United Nations in Sri Lanka 2006and Sierra Leone, and served as a political advisor on the Darfur conflict in Sudan. Before becoming Prime Minister, he was Somalia's ambassador-designate to the United States.Prime Minister of Somalia, 1st term
Appointment
On February 13, 2009, then President of Somalia Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed nominated Sharmarke to become Prime Minister at a meeting in Djibouti. Sharmarke's nomination was widely welcomed, with a spokesman for the moderate Islamic Courts movement describing him as an "honest" man who should bring about "positive changes."Political analysts were optimistic about the selection. It was seen as a successful attempt to shore up support for the Transitional Federal Government both among the diaspora and within the country. Sharmarke was considered someone who could potentially bridge the gap between the various groups currently competing for influence in Somalia, as he was based abroad and thus not tied to local politics. Sharmarke's appointment was also seen by some analysts as an attempt to secure the favor of the large Darod clan, whose Majeerteen branch both Sharmarke and the outgoing President of Somalia, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, were members of.On February 14, lawmakers approved Sharmarke as Prime Minister with a vote of 414 in favour, 9 opposed and 2 not voting.In his acceptance speech, Sharmarke pledged to encourage reconciliation and to create unity in Somalia. However, the Al-Shabaab Islamist insurgents who are currently waging war against the federal government, condemned his appointment, with a spokesman for the group saying that "an unlawful camel never gives birth to lawful ones."On February 21, Radio Garowe reported that Prime Minister Sharmarke had selected a new Council of Ministers, reserving key posts for former opposition lawmakers. Before a meeting in Djibouti attended by President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed and a host of other Somali politicians and international observers, Sharmarke appointed Sheikh Abdulkadir Ali Omar, the Islamic Courts senior ground commander, as the Minister of Interior, and former parliament Speaker, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, as the new Minister of Finance. Sharmarke also appointed the scholar, Mohamed Abdi Gandhi, as Minister of Defense, and three women as Ministers of Health, Family Affairs, and Rural Development. The new Cabinet easily gained a parliamentary vote-of-confidence. Sharmarke and the rest of the federal government then relocated from Djibouti to Mogadishu.
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