Somalia’s former PM back to Buffalo office job – CBC News
Laaska News August 20,2011
Somalia’s former PM back to Buffalo office job
In March 2011, Somalia’s Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed sits during consultations in the Security Council chambers at the United Nations headquarters in New York. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters )
Former Somali prime minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed recently left his post in East Africa and returned to his job with the New York Department of Transportation in Buffalo.
He served an eight-month term in the tumultuous country, which has been struggling with civil strife, security woes and famine.
Mohamed, who was away from Somalia for 25 years, said he always knew he would go back to the country in some capacity, though he never expected it would be in politics.
He told CBC Radio’s As It Happens that he didn’t seek out the position of prime minister and was surprised when he was selected.
“I was not part of the Somali political elite, and I was totally outside of Somali political environment,” he said.
While he was prime minister, Mohamed made a “very strong appeal” to international leaders earlier this year, warning them that a prolonged drought would cause many deaths.
Now he’s forced to watch the suffering unfold from the U.S.
“It’s really difficult to look at those children and vulnerable people dying, something that could be prevented,” he said.
Mohamed served as prime minister from Oct. 31, 2010, to June 19, 2011. According to the New York Times, he was forced out of the transitional government as part of a political deal between Somalia’s president and the Speaker of parliament.
The 49-year-old said he went to Somalia to be part of the solution.
“So, as soon as I have made some progress, I don’t want to end up being part of the problem,” he said.
As for how he’s adjusting to being back in a cubicle?
“It’s definitely two different jobs.”
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