Abdiweli Gaas

President of Puntland

2 July 1967 Dhusamareb, Galgadud, Somali Republic

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8 January 2014 – 8 January 2019

Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas (Somali: Cabdiweli Maxamed Cali pronounced  ; Arabic: عبدالولي محمد علي ‎; English pronunciation  (help ·info ) ), also known as Abdiweli Gaas, is a Somali American economist and politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Somalia from June 2011 to October 2012, and briefly afterwards as an MP in the newly formed Federal Parliament. During his time as Premier, Ali is credited with having devised the formal "Roadmap for the End of Transition", a political process that provided clear benchmarks leading toward the establishment of permanent democratic institutions in the country. On 8 January 2014, he was elected the 5th President of Puntland. During his tenure as the regional state's President, Ali launched a new biometric fishery database, strengthened bilateral cooperation with the European Union in the security and development sectors, initiated taxation reform with regard to international organizations working in Puntland, established a new mutual consulate agreement with Yemen, finalized a five-year development plan for Puntland, strengthened bilateral cooperation with the United Arab Emirates and Australia, launched new road, airport and seaport development initiatives in Bosaso and other local areas in conjunction with Djibouti, China and UNHABITAT officials, and successfully concluded the Galgala campaign against the Al-Shabaab militant group. He also signed a 12-point bilateral agreement in Garowe with Prime Minister of Somalia Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, which officially reaffirms Puntland's boundaries, agrees to form a united and inclusive national army, and establishes parliamentary committees consisting of Federal and Puntland representatives to ensure equitable allocation of resources and oversee eventual Provisional Constitution talks. Additionally, Ali led Puntland delegations at global business and development conferences in Ethiopia and the United Kingdom, with the goal of highlighting the regional state's commercial potential, establishing business partnerships, and securing funding and mega development projects in the energy, agricultural and security sectors. He also established a governmental committee to formulate an official money remittance policy for the Puntland regional state.