Somalia's new President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed has chosen newcomer Hassan Ali Khaire, the latest entrant in politics from oil company business, as the country's new PM.
The 23
rd Feb 2017 appointment was announced before Mohamed known as Farmajo moved to Saudi Arabia for his first foreign trip since election. Somali citizens saw Mohamed take office after selecting him from 21 possible candidates.
A dual US Somali citizen known as a technocrat, he aims to tackle hunger, violence and corruption in Somalia mired in civil war for over 40 years.
Khaire is a dual Norwegian citizen who has worked as a Norway primary school teacher and for the Norwegian Refugee Council before joining British energy explorer Soma Oil and Gas.
The PM resigned from his job as ED for Africa to take up the post of prime minister, according to Soma Oil.
All shares in the firm have been given up.
The selection was seen as a balance of clan interests in the nation located in the Horn of Africa. Khaire is a member of the Hawiye clan as is former president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Mohamed belongs to the Darod clan.
New president has vowed to make security in the country a priority. Armed group Al Shabab has carried out attacks in Mogadishu and elsewhere. Saudi King Salman aimed at discussing strengthening the relationship of the country in terms of security and aid for Somalia's drought.
The new Somali president has broken the long tradition of visiting Ethiopia known as the Mecca of Somali leaders.
The new president now favors alliances with Arab nations more than others. In another first for Somalia, the president announced his new selection for the post of PM via Twitter.
Nominee Hassan Ali Khaire is a 48-year old industry oil executive and former aid worker.
The nomination is subject to a confirmation vote by lawmakers.
Khaire was born in central Somalia and has received degrees from University of Oslo and Edinburgh Business School in Scotland.
He also worked as a regional director for the Norwegian Refugee Council and also as an ED for Soma Oil and Gas founded in 2013 for reviving oil exploration in Somalia.
The most pressing issue confronting the new government is the long running conflict in Somalia.
Somalia: Know More- Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa.
- It is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north.
- Capital: Mogadishu
- Dialing code: +252
- Currency: Somali shilling
- President: Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed
- Official languages: Somali, Arabic
