Rebuilding without a state, 1991 to 2012
The 2009 Somali presidential election
On 30 January 2009 Somalia's Transitional Federal Parliament, enlarged to take in 200 members from the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) and 75 others, met in Djibouti and elected the ARS chairman, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, as interim President. The election followed President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed's resignation on 29 December 2008. Sharif won the deciding round by 293 votes to 126 for Maslah Mohamed Siad, and was sworn in on 31 January.
In short
"On 30 January, after two rounds of voting in Djibouti, the expanded Parliament elected the Chairman of ARS, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, as the country's new interim President, and he was sworn in on 31 January," the UN Secretary-General reported (UN Security Council, S/2009/132, para. 10).
See Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia and the transitional governments, 2000–2012.
Why there was an election
From the UN report (S/2009/132, paras. 5–8):
- ARS returns. Early in December 2008, ARS members led by Sharif Sheikh Ahmed "returned to Mogadishu for the first time in two years to commence the implementation of the Djibouti agreement".
- The President resigns. Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed announced his resignation before Parliament and Cabinet in Baidoa on 29 December 2008. He said he was resigning "to avoid being seen as an 'obstacle to peace' in Somalia".
- Acting President. The Speaker, Sheikh Adan Madobe, became acting President under article 45 of the Transitional Federal Charter, "which empowers Parliament to elect a new President within 30 days". On 12 January 2009 he set up a Parliamentary Committee for the Presidential Election.
- A bigger Parliament. On 26 January the Parliament voted to grow by 275 seats, "with 200 seats allocated to ARS and the remaining 75 reserved for members of civil society, businesspeople, women, the diaspora and other opposition groups". On 27 January it extended its mandate by two years, to August 2011, and the new ARS members were sworn in.
The vote, 30 January 2009
- Where. The vote was held in Djibouti (S/2009/132, para. 10).
- The candidates. Fourteen candidates filed, among them Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the outgoing Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein, the former Prime Ministers Ali Khalif Galaydh and Hassan Abshir Farah, the minister Mohamed Qanyare Afrah, and General Maslah Mohamed Siad, a son of the former President Siad Barre (Wikipedia, "2009 Somali presidential election", citing the BBC and Reuters).
- First round. Sharif won 215 of 422 votes, Maslah Mohamed Siad 60 and Nur Hassan Hussein 59. Nur Hassan Hussein and Ali Khalif Galaydh then withdrew (same source, from the African Elections Database).
- Deciding round. Sharif beat Maslah Mohamed Siad by 293 votes to 126 (same source).
- The UN's appeal. During the talks the UN Special Representative, Ahmedou Ould Abdallah, "appealed to the Somali parties to eschew the concept of 'winner takes all' and seek compromise" (S/2009/132, para. 9).
After the vote
From the UN report (S/2009/132, paras. 10–13 and 18):
- The inaugural speech. Sharif "vowed to build an inclusive Government, extend a hand to hard-line armed groups still opposed to the peace talks and bring Somalia back into the regional fold".
- Prime Minister. On 13 February he appointed Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke. The 475-seat Parliament endorsed him by 410 votes to 9, with 2 abstentions. A 36-member Cabinet was endorsed on 21 February.
- Return to Mogadishu. Sharif returned to Mogadishu on 23 February 2009.
- Ethiopia's withdrawal. Ethiopian forces completed their withdrawal from all locations in Mogadishu in mid-January 2009, two weeks before the vote.
- Puntland. Abdirahman Farole, elected President of Puntland on 8 January 2009, "welcomed the appointment of President Sharif Ahmed and pledged to work with the new Administration".
- Opposition. Al-Shabaab, "which opposes the Djibouti process", took control of Baidoa and "vowed to continue with the insurgency" (paras. 15–16). The ARS wing in Asmara rejected the process and helped form Hizbul Islam (Congressional Research Service, RL33911).
Who suffered?
- Civilians in Mogadishu and the south, where the war between the government, AMISOM, al-Shabaab and other armed groups went on after the vote. See the war in Somalia, 2006–2009.
Sources differ
- The number of rounds. The UN speaks of "two rounds of voting". Wikipedia describes a planned three-round system in which all but two candidates withdrew after the first round.
- Where. The vote was held in Djibouti rather than inside Somalia; the UN called the 2012 election "the first to be held inside the country" (S/2013/69, para. 2). See the 2012 presidential election.
Read the primary sources yourself
Sources
- UN Security Council, S/2009/132, para. 10 · documents.un.org
- Wikipedia, "2009 Somali presidential election" · en.wikipedia.org
- Congressional Research Service, RL33911 · everycrsreport.com
- S/2013/69, para. 2 · documents.un.org
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Where it happened
Same era
- Australia18,401 people of Somali ancestry and 8,101 born in Somalia lived in Australia at the 2021 Census, more than half in Victoria. History, work, issues.
- Birmingham (Somali diaspora)About 17,000 to 21,600 Somalis live in Birmingham (Census 2021), mostly in Nechells, Newtown, Small Heath and Alum Rock. History, work, health and ties home.
- Bristol (Somali diaspora)9,167 people in Bristol identified as Somali or Somalilander in Census 2021, the city's largest minority group. Where they live, work, housing, leaders and ties home.
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada2,845 people of Somali origin lived in Calgary at the 2021 Census, plus 890 in Brooks. How they came, who serves them and what they face.
- Denmark (Somali diaspora)21,885 people of Somali origin lived in Denmark in 2026, half born there. Numbers, history, work, permit reviews, and ties home.
- DjiboutiAbout 13,900 refugees from Somalia live in Djibouti (Aug 2026): numbers since 1990, Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, the 2017 refugee law, Arta 2000 and 2025 returns.
Keep reading
- The Somali Civil WarThe Somali Civil War from the 1980s to now: the rebel fronts, the fall of Siad Barre, the split of Mogadishu, famine, the UN years, the Islamic Courts and al-Shabaab.
- The Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC), 2001–2004The SRRC, the Ethiopian-hosted alliance against Somalia's Arta government: its founding in 2001, its refusal to recognise the TNG, its fighting, and its part in the Kenya talks.
- The Burao conference and Somaliland's declaration, May 1991The Burao conference of 1991 and the declaration of the Republic of Somaliland: who attended, what was decided, the first government, and the first year after.
- The Transitional Federal Parliament, 2004–2012Somalia's Transitional Federal Parliament from 2004 to 2012: how members were chosen by clan, the first sessions in Nairobi and Baidoa, the 2009 expansion, the Kampala Accord and the handover.
- UNOSOM I, 1992–1993: the first UN operation in SomaliaUNOSOM I, April 1992 to March 1993: the Mogadishu ceasefire, the observers and the Pakistani battalion, the famine, the looting of aid, and the turn to UNITAF.
- The UN and US intervention, 1992–1995: UNOSOM and UNITAFUNOSOM I and II and the US-led UNITAF, 1992–1995: the famine, the missions, the 5 June and 3 October 1993 battles, the civilian toll, and the withdrawal.