Somaliland: President Parleys Mayor Abdul of Southwark

By: Latifa Yusuf Masai

HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The country is in urgent imperatives of developing local governments.

This was stated by the Somaliland president Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo during a meeting at the Hargeisa presidency with the mayor of Southwark council of London Councillor Abdul Mohamed

President Silanyo who took the opportunity to congratulate Mayor Abdul on his visit and intent to exchange local council’s management lessons learnt with Somaliland mayors also took the opportunity to officially invite him to celebrations 23 years of Somaliland independence to be commemorated nationwide on Sunday 18th May.

The President Silanyo and Mayor Abdul meeting was also participated by the presidential advisor on International and Local Non Governmental Organizations and the proprietor of Horn Cable TV Farhan Haji Ali Ahmed.

A day earlier the Southwark Council mayor had visited the presidency where he met with the Vice president of Somaliland Abdirahman Abdilahi Sayli and presidential spokesperson Ahmed Suleiman Duhul among others.

The mayor of London’s Southwark Council Councilor Abdul Mohamed who is on a ten days visit in the country is expected to visit various local councils and share knowledge with counterparts.

Cllr Abdul Mohamed who was announced as the Mayor of Southwark at Council Assembly on 22nd May 2013 was born in Kenya’s rift valley to Somaliland parents. His grandfather had emigrated to Kenya as a soldier with the King’s African Rifles Camel Corps.

He is married to Caroline McDonald, an Australian, and they have one son Farah Mohamed (16) they have lived in Peckham for 25 years.

Cllr Mohamed graduated from Leeds University in Yorkshire where he trained with the former National Coal Board as a mining engineer. He then left to work as a mining engineer in Africa, where he spent some time in the Copper belt in Zambia.

He has also worked in inner city regeneration since the late 80s. He has worked for several London boroughs carrying out regeneration work, including Haringey and Lambeth Council, on various large inner city estates such as Broadwater Farm and the Angel town estate.

He has been an active trade union member, being shop steward (UNISON) for his Public Service workplace. He has been one of the Faraday ward councilors since May 2002.

For more visit http://www.southwark.gov.uk