Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre unveiled his Council of Ministers on Tuesday, which included Al-Shabab’s former deputy leader Mukhtar Robow Ali Abu Mansoor as the Minister of Religious Affairs and Senator Salah Ahmed Jama as Deputy Prime Minister.
The 77-member Council of Ministers consists of 25 cabinet ministers, 25 deputies, and 26 state ministers.
Hamza Abdi, who was appointed to the post by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on 15 June, named 25 ministers, while the previous cabinet held 26 ministries.
“I am honoured to announce the list of the Council of Ministers that I have chosen to participate in the significant change. This council of ministers will work on matters of importance to the country and the Somali people to achieve a better future together,” the PM tweeted shortly after the ceremony.
Ahmed Molaim Fiqi was appointed Minister of Interior Affairs, while Dr. Mohamed Sheikh Ali (Dodishe) was given the security ministry.
Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management was scrapped, while the Ministry of the Constitution was added to the Ministry of Justice, becoming the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has added a new ministry to the cabinet.
Other appointments included Daud Aweis, a former Voice of America journalist, appointed as the Minister for Information.
The cabinet, which includes members from the parliament, will have to be approved by the federal parliament before they can officially assume their roles.
Read the names of the ministers below:
- Salah Ahmed Jama, Deputy Prime Minister
- Mukhtar Robow Abu Mansoor, Minister of Endowment and Religion
- Hassan Moalim, Minister of Justice and Constitution
- Ahmed Moali, Fiqi, Minister of Interior and Federal Affairs
- Dr. Elmi Mohamud Noor, Minister of Finance
- Abduqadir Mohamed Noor (Jama), Minister of Defense
- Abshir Omar Huruuse, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
- Farah Sheikh Abdulqadir, Minister of Education and Higher Education
- Mohamud Abdirahman Beena Beene, Minister of Planning
- Jama IlkaJiir, Minister of Ports and Marine Transport
- Fardowsa Osman Dhore, Minister Transport
- Jama Hassan Khalif, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications
- Hassan Hussein Elaay, Minister of Education Livestock
- Jibril Abdirashid, Minister of Industrial Trade
- Ismail Sheikh Bashir, Minister of General Works and Housing
- Khadija Mohamed Diriye, Minister of Women
- Dr. Abdirizaq Omar Mohamed, Minister of Petroleum and Mining
- Mohamud Doodishe, Minister of Internal Security
- Ahmed Madobe Nuunow, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation
- Ali Haji Adan, Minister of Health
- Ahmed Hassan Adan, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources
- Daoud Aweys Minister of Information
- Bihi Iman Cige. Minister of Labor and Employment
- Jama Takal, Minister of Electricity and Water
- Mohamed Barre Mohamud, Minister of Youth and Sports
- Khadija Al-Makhzoumi, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Credit: HOL