# Halima Ismail Ibrahim (Xaliimo Yarey)

> Halima Ismail Ibrahim (Halima Yarey): agricultural scientist and former chair of Somalia's electoral commission.

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

## Who is she?

Halima Ismail Ibrahim is a Somali academic and public official ([Wikipedia, Halima Ismail Ibrahim](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halima_Ismail_Ibrahim)). She chaired Somalia's National Independent Electoral Commission (same source). She is also known as Halima Yarey ([Dawan Africa, 27 September 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/former-electoral-commission-chair-halima-yarey-launches-memoir-hidden-waves-in-mogadishu)). This page covers her public role only.

## Study and teaching

She was born in Mogadishu and went to school there ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halima_Ismail_Ibrahim)). She took a degree in agricultural science (same source). She then earned a master's degree at the University of Turin in Italy (same source). She was a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Agriculture at the Somali National University ([Dawan Africa](https://www.dawan.africa/news/former-electoral-commission-chair-halima-yarey-launches-memoir-hidden-waves-in-mogadishu)). She worked with the United Nations until 1996 ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halima_Ismail_Ibrahim)). See [universities in Somalia](/en/society/universities-in-somalia/).

## Electoral commission

She was elected chair of the National Independent Electoral Commission ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halima_Ismail_Ibrahim)). Under her lead the commission began voter registration (same source). In 2016 and 2017 the presidential and parliamentary elections were held, with voting in six cities (same source). That vote was still indirect (same source). Women won 24 percent of the seats, short of a 30 percent target (same source). She was nominated for the 2016 Chatham House Prize for this work (same source).

The commission began building its headquarters in 2018 ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halima_Ismail_Ibrahim)). It planned a one-person, one-vote election for 2020 and 2021, at a cost of 53 million dollars (same source). Somalia's last such national vote had been in 1969 (same source). See [women in Somali society](/en/society/women-in-somali-society/) and [the timeline from 2012 to 2026](/en/history/timeline-2012-to-2026/).

## Memoir

In September 2026 she launched a memoir, *Hidden Waves*, in Mogadishu ([Dawan Africa](https://www.dawan.africa/news/former-electoral-commission-chair-halima-yarey-launches-memoir-hidden-waves-in-mogadishu)). It has 14 chapters and 366 pages (same source). Ministers, members of parliament, academics and writers attended the launch (same source). She plans to use the sales to support the education of orphaned children (same source). This includes building a school for orphans in [Dhuusamareeb](/en/regions/galgaduud/) (same source).

## In short

An agricultural scientist who chaired Somalia's electoral commission through the 2016 and 2017 elections and later published the memoir Hidden Waves.

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