Yasin Haji Mohamoud "Faratoon" (Yaasiin Xaaji Maxamuud Faratoon)

Who is he?

Yasin Haji Mohamoud Hiir, better known as Faratoon, is the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Somaliland. Members elected him on 23 July 2023 (Horn Diplomat, 23 July 2023). He has held ministerial posts under three Somaliland presidents (Wikipedia, Yasin Haji Mohamoud).

Early life and education

He was born in Laascaanood in 1947 and went to primary school there. He attended Dayaha secondary school in Erigavo, then studied social welfare at Lafoole and later taught there (Wikipedia). He went on to work at Somalia's Ministry of Education, where he rose to Director General. Wikipedia records that he left for Qatar in 1980 (same source).

Early Somaliland posts, 1991 to 2003

After Somaliland declared independence in 1991 he became the first governor of the Sool region. In 1993 President Mohamed Haji Ibrahim Egal named him Minister of Health and Labour. In 1997 he became a member of the House of Representatives and took part in drafting Somaliland's constitution. In 2002, under President Dahir Riyale Kahin, he became minister responsible for resettlement (Wikipedia). He left the country in 2003 and returned in 2016 (same source).

Minister, 2016 to 2021

In August 2016 President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud "Silanyo" named him Minister of Interior (Garowe Online, 15 August 2016). When Muse Bihi Abdi became President in December 2017, he became Minister of Education and Science (Horn Diplomat, 14 December 2017). In November 2018 he moved to the foreign ministry (Horn Diplomat, 10 November 2018).

As Foreign Minister he visited Taiwan in February 2020. On 1 July 2020 Somaliland and Taiwan announced that they would set up representative offices in each other's territory (Anadolu Agency, 1 July 2020). Somalia's government objected when Taiwan opened its office in Somaliland in August 2020 (Anadolu Agency, 19 August 2020).

Parliament and Speaker, 2021 to now

He resigned as Foreign Minister on 3 March 2021 to stand for parliament (Somaliland Chronicle, 3 March 2021). He won a seat for the Kulmiye party in the 2021 parliamentary election. In August 2021 he stood for Speaker, but Abdirisak Khalif was elected (Wikipedia). After Abdirisak Khalif resigned in 2023, the House elected Faratoon Speaker on 23 July 2023, with 46 of the 81 votes cast (Horn Diplomat, 23 July 2023; Wikipedia).

Offices held

• First governor of Sool region, 1991
• Minister of Health and Labour, from 1993
• Minister of Interior, August 2016 to December 2017
• Minister of Education and Science, December 2017 to November 2018
• Minister of Foreign Affairs, November 2018 to 3 March 2021. See Foreign Ministers of Somaliland.
• Speaker of the House of Representatives, 23 July 2023 to now. See Speakers of the Somaliland Parliament.