Omar Sharmarke

Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke (Cumar Cabdirashiid Cali Sharmaarke, عمر شرماركي) (born 18 June 1960), popularly known as Omar Sharmarke, is a Somali diplomat and politician.

Sharmarke was born in 1960 in Mogadishu, situated in the southeastern Banaadir province of Somalia.

He is the son of the former second President and first Prime Minister of Somalia, Abdirashid Ali Shermarke, who was assassinated in 1969, and Rukiyo Mo’alim Daahir, the daughter of the well-known Somali Islamic scholar Mo’alim Dahir Ali Boss.

His family belongs to the Osman Mahamoud sub-clan of the larger Majeerteen Harti Darod clan, and originally hails from Somalia's northeastern Puntland region.

Sharmarke studied at Carleton University in Ottawa, where he earned degrees in political science and political economy.

Although his family is based in Virginia in the United States, he holds both Somali and Canadian citizenship.

Sharmarke has worked in a diplomatic capacity for the United Nations in Sri Lanka 2006 and 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.

From 2009 to 2010, he was the Prime Minister of Somalia.

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.

In April and May 2010, a rift developed between Prime Minister Sharmarke and then Speaker of Parliament, Adan Mohamed Nuur Madobe, which culminated in the Speaker's resignation after parliament later voted to remove him from office.

Despite Madobe agreeing to relieve himself of his duties as Speaker, the incumbent President Sharif announced shortly afterwards his dismissal of Prime Minister Sharmarke and his intention of forming a new government.

This move was quickly welcomed by the UN Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, a close associate and supporter of Sharif.

Ould-Abdallah himself came under fire for his reportedly disruptive role in the continuing conflict in southern Somalia, including meddling in local politics and attempting to advance foreign agendas.

In response, Prime Minister Sharmarke told the press that Sharif did not have the authority to dismiss him, and stated that he would remain in office until parliament passes a vote of no confidence.

Sharmarke added that he "met the president and informed him that I wouldn't submit a resignation because his decision is not supported by the transitional charter", and that “the government is formed in accordance with the constitution and the national charter... Articles 44 and 51 of the constitution say that the government can only be dissolved through a vote of no confidence from the parliament.

So no parliament has cast the vote against the government.”

On May 18, a top official with the African Union urged the federal leaders to settle their differences and unite to resolve the ongoing conflict.

Supporters of Prime Minister Sharmarke were also reported to have gathered in the north-central Mudug region of Somalia to protest in his defense.

On May 20, President Sharif reversed his decision to sack Prime Minister Sharmarke after consulting with lawyers, who advised Sharif that the dismissal was indeed unconstitutional.

Analysts also stated that the move has severely undermined Sharif's credibility, as well as that of the U.N. representative, Ould-Abdallah, who had backed him.

On May 26, following another disagreement with Prime Minister Sharmarke, incumbent President Sharif again announced his unilateral plan to appoint a new Premier.

Associates of Sharif's also reportedly attempted to persuade Sharmarke to resign, but the Premier again refused to step down and vowed instead to remain in office until his tenure constitutionally expires.

Abdirahman Mohamud Farole, the incumbent President of Somalia's autonomous Puntland region in the northeast, attempted to help settle the dispute, warning that if not resolved amicably, the rift could result in the ultimate collapse of the Transitional Federal Government.

He subsequently briefly served as Somalia's Ambassador to the United States in 2014.

In December 2014, Sharmarke was reappointed Prime Minister of Somalia.

His term ended on 1 March 2017, and he was replaced by Hassan Ali Khaire.