# Abdullahi Ahmed Addow (Cabdilaahi Axmed Caddoow)

> Abdullahi Ahmed Addow (born 1936): ambassador in Washington twice, Finance Minister 1980 to 1984, presidential candidate.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/people/abdullahi-ahmed-addow/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## Who is he?

Abdullahi Ahmed Addow is a Somali diplomat and politician ([Wikipedia, Abdullahi Ahmed Addow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Ahmed_Addow)). He was born on 15 May 1936 in [Barawe](/en/regions/barawa/), [Lower Shabelle](/en/regions/lower-shabelle/) (same source). Capital FM places his family in the Habar Gidir (Hawiye) ([Capital FM, 10 September 2012](http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2012/09/somalias-presidential-vote/)).

## Ambassador to the United States

He was Somalia's ambassador in Washington from 1970 to 1980, and again from 1986 to 1988 ([US State Department, Diplomatic Representation for Somalia](https://2001-2009.state.gov/s/cpr/94441.htm)). In December 1979 a US newspaper reported his statements on the offer of the former Soviet base at Berbera to the United States ([Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 24 December 1979](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=beohAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0WcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5165,4640865&dq=abdullahi+ahmed+addou&hl=en)). See Somali ambassadors to the United States.

## Minister of Finance

From 1980 to 1984 he was Somalia's Minister of Finance ([Historical Dictionary of Somalia](https://epdf.pub/historical-dictionary-of-somalia-african-historical-dictionaries-historical-dict.html)). See [Finance ministers of Somalia](/en/institutions/finance-ministers-of-somalia/).

## Presidential candidate

At the 2000 Arta conference in Djibouti he reached the third round of the presidential vote ([Rulers.org, August 2000](https://www.rulers.org/2000-08.html)). He lost to [Abdiqasim Salad Hassan](/en/people/abdiqasim-salad-hassan/) by 92 votes to 145 (same source). In 2004 he lost the third round to [Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed](/en/people/abdullahi-yusuf-ahmed/) by 79 to 189 ([Rulers.org](https://rulers.org/indexa2.html)). He stood again in the 2012 election ([Capital FM, 10 September 2012](http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2012/09/somalias-presidential-vote/)).

## In short

Ambassador to Washington for 12 years in total, Finance Minister in the early 1980s and three-time presidential candidate.

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