New Permanent Representative of Somalia Presents Credentials

(Based on information provided by the Protocol and Liaison Service)

The new Permanent Representative of Somalia to the United Nations, Yusuf‑Garaad Omar, presented his credentials to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today.

Mr. Omar previously was Director of Horn Media & Communications Ltd. Since 2015 and a senior consultant for strategic communications to the President of Somalia from 2014 to 2015, after working as a consultant for the Ministry of Interior.  He also served in several consultancies, including for the Rift Valley Institute in 2013.

From 1992 to 2012, he worked for the BBC World Service, serving as Head of the Somali Service for 13 years and as Acting Head of Africa in 2002.  He was a senior trainer in journalism and production at World Service Trust (now the BBC College of Journalism) in 1997.  He also worked as a BBC freelance reporter from 1991 to 1992; an officer with the International Committee of the Red Cross from 1987 to 1990; and was the Broadcast and News Editor with Radio Mogadishu of the Somali Broadcasting Service, from 1983 to 1990.

From 2004 to 2005, he attended the Global Master of Arts Programme at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.  He has a Bachelor of Arts in French from Somali National University in Mogadishu.

Born on 26 June 1960, Mr. Omar is fluent in English, French and Somali.