User:His Excellency Mahdi Mohammed Gulaid Khadar/sandbox

His Excellency Mahdi Mohammed Gulaid “Khadar” was appointed Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia in March 2017. Since holding this office, the Deputy Prime Minister has helped set Somalia’s national and developmental agendas and manages a wide portfolio of governmental priorities. On a weekly basis, the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister oversees the cabinet and chairs a range of committees at the ministerial level, particularly in the economic and social sectors. He also chairs sessions of the Somalia Development and Reconstruction Facility, a vital platform that enables government and development partners to provide strategic guidance and oversight for development activities in Somalia. The Deputy Prime Minister also chairs Strand 4 of Somalia’s National Security Architecture i.e. the prevention and countering of violent extremism. Most recently, His Excellency co-chaired the Somalia Partnership Forum in Brussels which concluded with resounding success. The bi-annual high-level conference highlighted the progress made in Somalia and set out robust objectives in the security, political, economic and humanitarian sectors. By way of educational background, His Excellency earned his Master’s Degree (LLM) at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, the U.K. with a specialization in International Commercial Law. Prior to this, he completed his LLB in Ethiopia, graduating from the Faculty of Law at the Ethiopian Civil Service University with a distinction. His Excellency was awarded the university’s honorable Gold Medal that year. Having worked in both the public and private sectors in Somalia, the Deputy Prime Minister is an experienced lawyer with diverse experience. Prior to taking office, His Excellency practiced law in Somaliland and worked closely with the Electoral Commission in 2009 - 2012. He also worked with the Law Reform Commission of Somaliland and was elected its Vice-Chairperson. As a private lawyer, he advised businesses and governmental offices, most notably the Somaliland Ministry of Energy and Minerals. His Excellency is well-versed in the field of academia as well, serving as Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Hargeisa where he implemented reforms to the curriculum, boosted student enrolment and strengthened the university’s ties with international partners and the local business community. Moreover, His Excellency played a key role in the establishment of the Civil Service Institute of Somaliland. During his tenure at the United Nations Development Programme, the Deputy Prime Minister worked as a national program officer for the Rule of Law, Security and Governance programs. In this dynamic role, he supported capacity-building efforts and steered justice sector reforms in Somaliland by liaising closely with an array of institutions including the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, the Office of the Attorney General, Faculties of Law and Legal Clinics, and the Bar Association. Immediately prior to taking office as the Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia, His Excellency served as a Program Adviser with Interpeace, an international organization mandated to harness peace and manage conflict through non-violent, locally-driven means. The Deputy Prime Minister is happily married with seven children