Abdiweli M Ali GasAbdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas is a Somali American economist and politician who has played significant roles in Somalia's governance. Born in 1967 in Dhusamareb, Somalia, he pursued higher education in economics, obtaining degrees from Somali National Unversity, Vanderbilt University, Harvard Kennedy School, and a PhD from George Mason University.Gaas began his career in Somalia's Ministry of Finance in the 1980s before moving to the United States, where he became an associate professor of economics at Niagara University. His academic work focused on public finance, economic growth, and institutional impacts on development.In 2010, Gaas entered Somali politics as Minister of Planning and International Cooperation. He served as Prime Minister of Somalia from June 2011 to October 2012, during which he developed the "Roadmap for the End of Transition" to establish democratic institutions in the country.After a brief stint as a member of the Federal Parliament, Gaas was elected as the 5th President of Puntland, an autonomous state in northeastern Somalia, serving from 2014 to 2019. His tenure saw various development initiatives, including infrastructure projects, security sector reforms, and efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation with international partners.Key achievements during his presidency included launching a biometric fishery database, initiating taxation reforms, finalizing a five-year development plan for Puntland, and successfully concluding a military campaign against the Al-Shabaab militant group. He also signed important agreements with the federal government to reaffirm Puntland's boundaries and form a united national army.Gaas is known for his economic expertise, having published in peer-reviewed journals and received awards for his academic work. He is multilingual, speaking Somali, Arabic, Italian, and English. His leadership roles in both federal and regional Somali politics, combined with his academic background, have made him a notable figure in Somalia's recent political landscape. Read More Read Less