Abdirahman Jama Barre

Abdirahman Jama Barre was born in 1937 in the southern town of Luuq, Italian Somaliland.{{cite book|last1=Uwechue|first1=Ralph|title=Africa Who's Who|date=1991|publisher=Africa Journal Limited|isbn=0903274175|page=302|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9EAOAQAAMAAJ|access-date=16 January 2015}} He hails from the Marehan Darod clan.{{cite news|title=A surreal presidential election|url=http://www.africaintelligence.com/ION/politics-power/2004/09/25/a-surreal-presidential-election,11741789-EVE|access-date=10 June 2014|agency=The Indian Ocean Newsletter|date=25 September 2004}} He was a cousin of former President of Somalia, Mohamed Siad Barre.{{cite book|last1=Somali National Movement|title=Liberty: Magazine of the Somali National Movement, Issues 2-4|date=1986|publisher=The Movement|page=7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vXkHAQAAMAAJ|access-date=16 January 2015}} His brother, "Asasey", was also active in Somali politics.{{cite book|last1=Dool|first1=Abdullahi|title=Dhaqan-akhris Oo La'aantiisu Waxyeello U Leh Horumarka Dal Iyo Ummad|date=1999|publisher=Horn Heritage Publications|page=5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MC0OAQAAMAAJ|access-date=13 February 2015}}

Barre pursued higher studies abroad. For his tertiary education, he earned a PhD in the early 1960s from the teaching faculty at the University of Padua in Padua, Italy. Barre was married, and had seven children. He had eight children from his first marriage. He enjoyed lawn tennis.

Barre began his professional career upon graduation from university. Initially, he briefly served as a headmaster. In 1960, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Somali Republic's early civilian administration. He received his first diplomatic post the same year, working as a counsellor until 1964. Barre was concurrently promoted to Director of the ministry's Economic and Social Department as well as Director-General of its Social Department. He served as such for the next four years. Between 1969 and 1970, he was also the Acting Director-General of both departments.

Following the bloodless 1969 coup d'état, Barre was named Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the new ruling Supreme Revolutionary Council (SRC) in 1970. He subsequently became a member of the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party (SSRP) in 1976, sitting on the political association's Central Committee.

In July 1977, Barre was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs.{{cite book|last=Legum|first=Colin|author2=Bill Lee|author3=Zdenek Červenka|title=The Horn of Africa in Continuing Crisis|publisher=Africana Pub. Co.|date=1979|url=https://archive.org/details/hornofafricainco0000legu/page/86|isbn=0-8419-0491-X|page=[https://archive.org/details/hornofafricainco0000legu/page/86 86]}} He represented the Somali Democratic Republic in this capacity at the United Nations General Assembly.{{cite book|last1=Barre|first1=Abdurahman Jama|title=Statement by Jaalle Dr. Abdirahman Jama Barre, Minister for Foreign Affairs, of the Somali Democratic Republic, at the General Debate of the 38th Session of the United Nations General Assembly|date=1983|publisher=Permanent Mission of the Somali Democratic Republic to the United Nations|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_x_ROwAACAAJ|access-date=16 January 2015}}

Along with then Foreign Minister of Ethiopia Foreign Minister of Ethiopia Goshu Wolde, Jama Barre was also part of a seven-person Somalia-Ethiopia committee. The intergovernmental panel was formed in 1986.{{cite book|title=Foreign Report, Issues 1902-1949|date=1986|publisher=Economist Newspaper Limited|page=143|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xWGxAAAAIAAJ|access-date=16 February 2015}}

Toward the end of 1987, Barre was appointed the 1st Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia. Abdiqassim Salad Hassan served alongside him as the 2nd Deputy Prime Minister.{{cite book|author=National Foreign Assessment Center |author2=Central Intelligence Agency |title=Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments, Issues 1-6|date=1990|publisher=The Center|page=71|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p7Z_aiqIySoC|access-date=10 February 2015}} Jama was concurrently named Minister of Finance and Treasury.{{cite book|title=Africa Research Bulletin: Political series, Volume 26|date=1989|publisher=Africa Research Limited|page=9245|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NWIOAQAAMAAJ}} In 1989, he was reappointed Foreign Minister, with his second term in the office lasting a year.{{cite book|author=Banque d'information et de documentation de l'océan Indien (Paris, France)|title=I.O.N., Issues 1024-1069|date=2003|publisher=Indian Ocean Information and Documentation Bank|page=70|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hfsvAQAAIAAJ|access-date=25 February 2015}} He would hold both 1st Deputy Prime and Finance Minister positions until the collapse of the central government in January 1991.

Barre was part of the governmental Suhl (Reconciliation) group, of which Abdiqassim Salad Hassan, who would go on to become President of Somalia, was a key founder.{{cite book|title=Africa analysis: the fortnightly bulletin on financial and political trends, Issues 350-362|publisher=Africa Analysis Ltd.|date=2000|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_si1AAAAIAAJ|pages=355–356}}

In 2004, following the establishment of the Transitional Federal Government, Barre presented himself as a candidate for President of Somalia. He lost out to then President of the autonomous Puntland region, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed.

• Somali Youth League

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• [http://rulers.org/fm4.html Foreign ministers S-Z - Somalia]

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Category:1937 births

Category:2017 deaths

Category:Ethnic Somali people

Category:Finance ministers of Somalia

Category:Ministers of foreign affairs of Somalia

Category:University of Padua alumni

Category:People from Gedo