# Abdullahi Issa Mohamud (Cabdullaahi Ciise Maxamuud)

> Abdullahi Issa (1921–1988): Somali Youth League leader, voice for independence at the UN, and Prime Minister of the trust territory from 1956 to 1960.

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

## Who was he?

Abdullahi Issa Mohamud was the first Somali to lead a Somali government. He was Prime Minister of the trust territory of Somalia, under Italian administration and UN oversight, from 1956 to 1960 ([Castagno, *Historical Dictionary of Somalia*, 1975, "Abdullahi Issa Mohamud"](https://archive.org/details/historical-dictionary-of-somalia-1)). Before that he was the main voice of the [Somali Youth League](/en/history/somali-youth-league/) to the world.

## Early life

Sources differ on where he was born. Wikipedia says he was born in 1921 in [Afgooye](/en/regions/lower-shabelle/) ([Wikipedia, Abdullahi Issa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Issa)). Castagno's dictionary says he was born in 1922 in the [Mudug](/en/regions/mudug/) region ([Castagno 1975](https://archive.org/details/historical-dictionary-of-somalia-1)). His nickname was "Bidaar".

He went to a Quranic school and a primary school in Mogadishu. At sixteen he moved to Marka and worked as a postal clerk from 1939 to 1941 ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Issa)). He then worked in the Department of Economic Affairs in Mogadishu, and after 1941 went into business ([Castagno 1975](https://archive.org/details/historical-dictionary-of-somalia-1)).

## The voice of the Youth League

He joined the Somali Youth League in its early years. He was its secretary-general from 1947 to 1954 ([Castagno 1975](https://archive.org/details/historical-dictionary-of-somalia-1)). He spoke for the League before the Four-Power Commission that visited in 1948, and then at the United Nations in the late 1940s and early 1950s ([Castagno 1975](https://archive.org/details/historical-dictionary-of-somalia-1)). From 1950 to 1954 he represented the League at the UN Trusteeship Council ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Issa)).

This work mattered. The UN decided in 1949 that Italian rule would last only ten years, ending in independence in 1960. See [UN trusteeship, 1950 to 1960](/en/history/un-trusteeship-1950-1960/).

## Prime Minister, 1956 to 1960

After the 1956 elections, he was asked to form the first Somali government in the territory ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Issa)). He was confirmed again after the 1959 elections. At times he also held the foreign affairs, interior and justice posts (same source). His government prepared the handover to full independence on 1 July 1960.

## After independence

In the governments after 1960 he served as Foreign Minister and took part in UN and African meetings ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Issa)). In 1964 he was elected to the National Assembly for Beledweyne (same source).

After the army took power in October 1969, he was held in detention until 1973 ([Castagno 1975](https://archive.org/details/historical-dictionary-of-somalia-1)). In 1974 the new government named him ambassador to Sweden. He held that post until early 1983 and then retired ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Issa)).

He spent his last years in Rome and died there in March 1988. He was brought home to Mogadishu for burial (same source).

## In short

The first Somali head of government, Prime Minister of the trust territory from 1956 to 1960.

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