# Elmi Ahmed Duale (Cilmi Axmed Ducaale)

> Elmi Ahmed Duale (born 1935): doctor, Foreign Minister in 1969, WHO official and Somalia's UN ambassador 2005 to 2016.

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

## Who is he?

Elmi Ahmed Duale is a Somali physician, diplomat and politician ([Wikipedia, Elmi Ahmed Duale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmi_Ahmed_Duale)). He was born in Buulo Burte, [Hiiraan](/en/regions/hiiraan/), in 1935 ([Hiiraan Online, July 2005](https://www.hiiraan.com/2005/july/Dr_Elmi_UN.htm)).

## Doctor and health chief

He graduated in medicine from Sapienza University of Rome in 1960 ([UN press release BIO/3707, 18 October 2005](https://www.un.org/press/en/2005/bio3707.doc.htm)). From 1963 to 1968 he was Director General of Somalia's Ministry of Health (same source).

## Foreign Minister and prison

In 1969 he was elected to parliament and named Foreign Minister ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmi_Ahmed_Duale)). After the military took power in October 1969, he and other members of the cabinet were held from 1970 to 1973 (same source). See [Foreign ministers of Somalia](/en/institutions/foreign-ministers-of-somalia/).

## World Health Organization

In 1974 he joined the World Health Organization and worked there for 30 years ([UN press release, 2005](https://www.un.org/press/en/2005/bio3707.doc.htm)). He served as WHO programme coordinator in Nigeria and WHO Representative in [Tanzania](/en/diaspora/tanzania/) and Eritrea (same source).

## Ambassador to the United Nations

He presented his credentials as Somalia's Permanent Representative to the UN in New York on 18 October 2005 ([UN press release BIO/3707](https://www.un.org/press/en/2005/bio3707.doc.htm)). He held the post for 11 years, until late 2016 ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmi_Ahmed_Duale)). In October 2010 NBC News reported that critics wanted the UN envoy for Somalia to resign, quoting the debate around the mission ([NBC News, 5 October 2010](http://www.nbcnews.com/id/37062609/ns/world_news-africa/t/critics-say-un-envoy-somalia-should-resign/)).

## In short

Physician, 1969 Foreign Minister, three decades at WHO, then Somalia's UN ambassador from 2005 to 2016.

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