It has been suggested that Member states of the Arab League , Charter of the Arab League and Enlargement of the Arab League be merged into this article or section. (Discuss) Proposed since August 2011.

League of Arab States جامعة الدول العربية Jāmiʻat ad-Duwal al-ʻArabiyya
Flag of the Arab League Flag
Headquarters		Cairo1
Official languages		Arabic
Membership		21 members  Algeria  Bahrain  Comoros  Djibouti  Egypt  Iraq  Jordan  Kuwait  Lebanon  Libya  Mauritania  Morocco  Oman  State of Palestine  Qatar  Saudi Arabia  Somalia  Sudan  Tunisia  United Arab Emirates  Yemen 1 suspended  Syria
Leaders
-	Arab League Secretariat	Nabil Elaraby
-	Arab Parliament	Ali Al-Duqbasi
-	Council Presidency	Iraq
Legislature		Arab Parliament
Establishment
-	Alexandria Protocol	22 March 1945
Area
-	Total area	13,333,296 km2 (2nd2) 5,148,048 sq mi
Population
-	2011 estimate	349,870,608 (3rd2)
-	Density	24.33/km2  63/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2011 estimate
-	Total	$4.766 trillion[1]
-	Per capita	$7,682[citation needed]
GDP (nominal)		2011 estimate
-	Total	3.526 trillion[citation needed]
-	Per capita	$4,239[citation needed]
Currency		21 currencies ISO 4217 codes bracketed: Algerian dinar (DZB) Bahraini dinar (BHD) Comorian franc (KMF) Djiboutian franc (DJF) Egyptian pound (EGP) Iraqi dinar (IQD) Jordanian dinar (JOD) Kuwaiti dinar (KWD) Lebanese livre (LBP) Libyan dinar (LYD) Mauritanian ouguiya (MRO) Moroccan dirham (MAD) Omani rial (OMR) Qatari riyal (QAR) Saudi riyal (SAR) Somali shilling (SOS) Sudanese pound (SDD) Syrian pound (SYP) Tunisian dinar (TND) United Arab Emirates dirham (AED) Yemeni rial (YER)
Time zone		(UTC+0 to +4)
Website arableagueonline.org/
1	From 1979 to 1989: Tunis, Tunisia
2	If ranked among nation states.

This article contains Arabic text, written from right to left in a cursive style with some letters joined. Without proper rendering support, you may see unjoined Arabic letters written left-to-right instead of right-to-left or other symbols instead of Arabic script.

The Arab League (Arabic: الجامعة العربية‎ al-Jāmiʻa al-ʻArabiyya), officially called the League of Arab States (Arabic: جامعة الدول العربية‎ Jāmiʻat ad-Duwal al-ʻArabiyya), is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia (Middle East). It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan (renamed Jordan in 1949), Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a member on 5 May 1945. The Arab League currently has 22 members (including Syria, whose participation was suspended in November 2011). The main goal of the league is to "draw closer the relations between member States and co-ordinate collaboration between them, to safeguard their independence and sovereignty, and to consider in a general way the affairs and interests of the Arab countries."^[2]

Through institutions such as the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) and the Economic and Social Council of the Arab League's Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU), the Arab League facilitates political, economic, cultural, scientific and social programs designed to promote the interests of the Arab world.^[3][4] It has served as a forum for the member states to coordinate their policy positions, to deliberate on matters of common concern, to settle some Arab disputes, and to limit conflicts such as the 1958 Lebanon crisis. The League has served as a platform for the drafting and conclusion of many landmark documents promoting economic integration. One example is the Joint Arab Economic Action Charter which sets out the principles for economic activities in the region.

Each member state has only one vote in the League Council, while decisions are binding only for those states that have voted for them. The aims of the league in 1945 were to strengthen and coordinate the political, cultural, economic, and social programs of its members, and to mediate disputes among them or between them and third parties. Furthermore, the signing of an agreement on Joint Defense and Economic Cooperation on 13 April 1950 committed the signatories to coordination of military defense measures.

The Arab League has played a role in shaping school curricula, advancing the role of women in the Arab societies, promoting child welfare, encouraging youth and sports programs, preserving Arab cultural heritage, and fostering cultural exchanges between the member states.^{[citation needed]} Literacy campaigns have been launched, intellectual works reproduced, and modern technical terminology is translated for the use within member states. The league encourages measures against crime and drug abuse, and deals with labour issues—particularly among the emigrant Arab workforce.

History[link]

Following adoption of the Alexandria Protocol in 1944, the Arab League was founded on 22 March 1945. It aimed to be a regional organisation of Arab states with a focus to developing the economy, resolving disputes, and coordinating political aims.^[5] Other countries joined the league at later dates.^[6] Each country was given one vote in the council. The first major action was the joint intervention, allegedly on behalf of the majority Arab population that was being uprooted as the State of Israel emerged in 1948 (and in response to popular outcry in the Arab world), although in fact a main participant in this intervention, Transjordan, had agreed with the Israelis to divide up the Arab Palestinian state proposed by the UN General Assembly, while Egypt intervened primarily to prevent its rival in Amman from accomplishing its objective.^[7] This was followed by the creation of a mutual defense treaty two years later. A common market was established in 1965.^[5] (Robert W. MacDonald, The League of Arab States: A Study in Regional Organization. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1965.)

Geography[link]

The area of members of the Arab League covers around 13,000,000 km² (5,000,000 sq mi) and straddles two continents: Africa, and Asia. The area consists of large arid deserts, namely the Sahara. Nevertheless, it also contains several very fertile lands, such as the Nile Valley, the High Atlas Mountains, and the Fertile Crescent which stretches from Iraq over Syria, and Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine. The area comprises deep forests in southern Arabia, as well as parts of the world's longest river, the Nile.

The area witnessed the rise of many ancient civilizations: Ancient Egypt, Ancient Israel and Judah, Assyria, Babylon, Phoenicia, Carthage, Kush, Ancient Somalia and the Nabateans, among others.

Member states[link]

Joining dates of member states; the Comoros (circled) joined in 1993.
     1940s      1950s      1960s      1970s

The Arab League was founded in Cairo in 1945 by seven countries, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Transjordan (Jordan from 1946), and Yemen. There was a continual increase in membership during the second half of the 20th century, with additional 15 Arab states being admitted, with a current total of 21 member states due to Syria's suspension following the 2011 uprising.

On 22 February 2011, following the start of the 2011 Libyan civil war and the use of military force against civilians, the Arab League Secretary General, Amr Moussa, stated that Libya's membership in the Arab League had been suspended: "the organisation has decided to halt the participation of the Libyan delegations from all Arab League sessions".^[8] This makes Libya the second country in the League's history to have a frozen membership. Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi declared that the League was illegitimate, saying, "The Arab League is finished. There is no such thing as the Arab League".^[9][10] On 25 August 2011, Secretary General Nabil Elaraby announced it was "about time" Libya's full member status was restored. The National Transitional Council, the partially recognised interim government of Libya, will send a representative to be seated at the Arab League meeting on 17 August to participate in a discussion as to whether to readmit Libya to the organisation.^[11]

The Arab Parliament recommended the suspension of member states Syria and Yemen on 20 September 2011, over persistent reports of disproportionate violence against regime opponents and activists during the Arab Spring.^[12] A vote on 12 November agreed to formally suspend Syria four days after the vote, giving Assad a last chance to avoid suspension. Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen voted against the motion, while Iraq abstained.^[13] A wave of criticism rose as the Arab League sent in Dec 2011 a commission "monitoring" Syria's violence (massacres) on its own people who protested its tyranny. The commission was headed by Mohammad Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi, who served as head of infamous Omar al-Bashir's military intelligence, while heinous war crimes including genocide were committed on his watch.^[14][15][16] Syria remains suspended.

Political policy and administration[link]

Headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo

The Charter of the Arab League^[2] endorsed the principle of an Arab homeland while respecting the sovereignty of the individual member states. The internal regulations of the Council of the League^[17] and the committees^[18] were agreed in October 1951. Those of the Secretariat-General were agreed in May 1953.^[19]

Since then, governance of the Arab League has been based on the duality of supra-national institutions and the sovereignty of the member states. Preservation of individual statehood derived its strengths from the natural preference of ruling elites to maintain their power and independence in decision making. Moreover, the fear of the richer that the poorer may share their wealth in the name of Arab nationalism, the feuds among Arab rulers, and the influence of external powers that might oppose Arab unity can be seen as obstacles towards a deeper integration of the league.

Mindful of their previous announcements in support of the Arabs of Palestine the framers of the Pact were determined to include them within the League from its inauguration.^[20] This was done by means of an annex that declared:^[2]

At the Cairo Summit of 1964, the Arab League initiated the creation of an organisation representing the Palestinian people. The first Palestinian National Council convened in East Jerusalem on 29 May 1964. The Palestinian Liberation Organization was founded during this meeting on 2 June 1964. Today, Palestine is a full member of the Arab League and is represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization.

At the Beirut Summit on 28 March 2002, the league adopted the Arab Peace Initiative,^[21] a Saudi-inspired peace plan for the Arab–Israeli conflict. The initiative offered full normalisation of the relations with Israel. In exchange, Israel was required to withdraw from all occupied territories, including the Golan Heights, to recognise Palestinian independence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital, as well as a "just solution" for the Palestinian refugees. The Peace Initiative was again endorsed at 2007 in the Riyadh Summit. In July 2007, the Arab League sent a mission, consisting of the Jordanian and Egyptian foreign ministers, to Israel to promote the initiative. Following Venezuela's move to expel Israeli diplomats amid the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict, Kuwaiti member of parliament Waleed al-Tabtabai proposed moving Arab League headquarters Caracas, Venezuela.^[22] On 13 June 2010, Amr Mohammed Moussa, Secretary-General of the Arab League visited the Gaza Strip, the first by an official of the Arab League since the election of Hamas in 2007.

Summits[link]

Economic resources[link]

The Arab League is rich in resources, with enormous oil and natural gas resources in certain member states; it also has great fertile lands in southern Sudan, usually referred to as the food basket of the Arab World. Another industry that is growing steadily in the Arab League is telecommunications. Within less than a decade, local companies such as Orascom, and Etisalat have managed to compete internationally.

Economic achievements initiated by the League amongst member states have been less impressive than those achieved by smaller Arab organisations such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).^[23] Among them is the Arab Gas Pipeline, that will transport Egyptian and Iraqi gas to Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey. Significant difference in wealth and economic conditions exist between the rich oil states of the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Algeria, and poor countries like the Comoros, Mauritania, and Djibouti. The Arab League agreed to support the Sudanese region of Darfur with US$500 million.

Literacy in Arab league countries[link]

Arab League map indicating literacy by country (2010 Human Development Report) Grey = no data

In collecting literacy data, many countries estimate the number of literate people based on self-reported data. Some use educational attainment data as a proxy, but measures of school attendance or grade completion may differ. Because definitions and data collection methods vary across countries, literacy estimates should be used with caution. United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report 2010.

Rank	Country	Literacy rate
1	Kuwait	98.6[24]
2	Lebanon	94.5[25]
3	Palestinian Authority	94.1[24]
4	Qatar	93.1[26]
5	Jordan	92.2[25]
6	Bahrain	90.8[26]
7	United Arab Emirates	90.0[26]
8	Libya	88.4[25]
9	Oman	86.7[24]
10	Saudi Arabia	85.5[25]
11	Syria	83.6[27]
12	Tunisia	78[25]
13	Iraq	77.6[24]
14	Comoros	73.6[27]
15	Algeria	72.6[25]
16	Morocco	70[27]
17	Sudan	69.3[24]
18	Djibouti	67.9[28]
19	Egypt	66.4[27]
20	Yemen	60.9[27]
21	Mauritania	56.8[27]
22	Somalia	54.8[27]

Demographics of Arab League countries[link]

The Arab League is a culturally and ethnically diverse association of 22 member states, although the overwhelming majority of the League's population identifies as Arab (either on a cultural basis, or on an ethno-racial basis). As of 1 January 2007, about 340,000,000 people live in the states of the Arab League. Its population grows faster than in most other global regions. The most populous member state is Egypt, with a population of about 81 million.^[29] The least populated is the Comoros, with over 0.6 million inhabitants.

Rank	Country	Population	Density (/km2)	Density (sq mi)	Notes
1	Egypt	81,650,212	90	233	[30]
2	Algeria	37,100,000	16	41	[31]
3	Morocco	36,064,173	75	194	[32]
4	Sudan	30,894,000	16	41	[33]
5	Iraq	30,747,000	70	181	[31]
6	Saudi Arabia	28,146,658	12	31	[31]
7	Yemen	23,580,000	45	117	[31]
8	Syria	21,906,000	118	306	[31]
9	Tunisia	10,673,800	65	168	[34]
10	Libya	6,733,620	3.8	9.8	[31] [35]
11	Somalia	9,133,000	14	36	[31]
12	United Arab Emirates	8,264,070	99	256	[36]
13	Jordan	6,316,000	71	184	[31]
14	Lebanon	4,224,000	404	1,046	[31]
15	Palestinian Authority	4,136,540	687	1,779	[37]
16	Kuwait	3,566,437	200	518	[31]
17	Mauritania	3,291,000	3.2	8.3	[31]
18	Oman	2,845,000	9.2	24	[31]
19	Qatar	1,699,435	154	399	[31]
20	Bahrain	1,234,596	1,646	4,263	[38]
21	Djibouti	864,000	37	96	[31]
22	Comoros	691,000	309	800	[31]
Total	Arab League	349,870,608	26.6	68.1

The vast majority of the Arab League's citizens are Muslim, with Christianity being the second largest religion. Over 20 million Christians live in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, Sudan and Syria.

Arab League population by sect following

N	Country	Islam	Christians	Others
1	Algeria	99%	0.5%	0.5%
2	Bahrain	81.2%	9%	8.81%
3	Comoros	99%	1%	n/a
4	Djibouti	94%	5%	1%
5	Egypt	83%	16%	1%
6	Iraq	95%	4.3%	0.7%
7	Jordan	93%	6%	1%
8	Kuwait	85%	10%	5%
9	Lebanon	63%	34%	3%
10	Libya	88%	5%	7%
11	Mauritania	100%	0%	0%
12	Morocco	98.7%	1%	0.3%
13	Oman	92.5%	5%	2.5%
14	Palestinian Authority	92%	8%	-
15	Qatar	77.6%	11%	11.4%
16	Saudi Arabia	100%	0%	0%
17	Somalia	100%	0%	0%
18	Sudan	97%	3%	0.001%
19	Syria	82%	12%	6%
20	Tunisia	98%	1%	1%
21	United Arab Emirates	76%	9%	15%
22	Yemen	99%	0.2%	0.8%
	Arab League	90%	6%	4%

Jurisdiction[link]

Rank	Country	Area (km2)[Note 1]	Area (sq mi)	% of Total	Notes
1	Algeria	2,381,741	919,595	18.1%	Largest country in Africa and in the Arab world.
2	Saudi Arabia	2,149,690	830,000	16.4%	Largest country in the Middle East.
3	Sudan	1,886,068	728,215	14.2%	Formerly the largest country in Africa.
4	Libya	1,759,540	679,360	11.4%
5	Mauritania	1,030,700	398,000	7.8%
6	Egypt	1,022,600	394,800	7.6%	Excluding the Hala'ib Triangle (20,580 km2/7,950 sq mi).
7	Somalia	637,657	246,201	4.9%
8	Yemen	527,968	203,850	4.0%
9	Morocco	446,550	172,410	3.4%	Does not include Western Sahara (266,000 km2/103,000 sq mi).
10	Iraq	435,244	168,049	3.3%
11	Oman	309,500	119,500	2.4%
12	Syria	185,180	71,500	1.4%	Including the part of the Golan Heights (1,200 km2/460 sq mi) currently administered by Israel.
13	Tunisia	163,610	63,170	1.2%
14	Jordan	89,342	34,495	0.7%
15	United Arab Emirates	83,600	32,300	0.6%
16	Djibouti	23,200	9,000	0.1%
17	Kuwait	17,818	6,880	0.1%
18	Qatar	11,586	4,473	0.08%
19	Lebanon	10,452	4,036	0.08%
20	Palestine	6,020	2,320	0.05%
21	Comoros	2,235	863	0.01%
22	Bahrain	758	293	0.005%

See also[link]

Notes[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikisource has original text related to this article: Arab League Pact

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: League of Arab States

• Arab League official site (Arabic)
• The League of Arab States at Al-Bab.com
• Arab Turk Conference and Expo at Bursa
• The Arab League at Council on Foreign Relations
• Profile: Arab League, BBC News, updated 9 March 2011
• Arab League at Jewish Virtual Library
• Arab League at WorldStatesmen.org
• Arab League collected news and commentary at Bloomberg News
• Arab League collected news and commentary at The Jerusalem Post
• Arab League collected news and commentary at The New York Times

v t e Members of the Arab League Members Algeria Bahrain Comoros Djibouti Egypt Iraq Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Libya Mauritania Morocco Oman Palestine Qatar Saudi Arabia Somalia Sudan Tunisia United Arab Emirates Yemen Suspended Syria Observers Brazil Eritrea India Turkey Venezuela Diplomacy Arab Peace Initiative Arab League peace plan (Syria)

The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guideline for music. Please help to establish notability by adding reliable, secondary sources about the topic. If notability cannot be established, the article is likely to be merged, redirected, or deleted. (June 2009)

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. It relies on references to primary sources or sources affiliated with the subject, rather than references from independent authors and third-party publications. Tagged since June 2009. It may be written from a fan's point of view, rather than a neutral point of view. Tagged since June 2009. It may contain original research. Tagged since June 2009.

Ahmed Amin (Arabic: أحمد أمين‎) (born in 1985) better known by his stage name Mc Amin and El-General, is a rapper from Mansoura City.^{[citation needed]}

Biography[link]

Discography[link]

• MC Amin - Vol #1 - Black Attack (2006)
• MC Amin - Vol #2 - Arab Rap Soldiers (2007)
• MC Amin - Vol #3 - Hiroshima
• Arab League - Vol #1 - Desert Saga (2008)

References[link]

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (June 2009)

Much of content of this article comes from Mc Amin Official Site and MySpace page for Mc AMin

See also[link]

Hip hop portal

• Egyptian music
• Egyptian hip hop
• Arabic hip hop

External links[link]

• Mc Amin Official Site
• Mc Amin Official MySpace page
• Mc AMin YouTube Channel

Abdirahman Mohamud Nur عبد الرحمن محمود نور
President of Somalia
Incumbent
Assumed office 16 September 2012
Prime Minister	Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo
Preceded by	Abukar Ahmed Hassan (Acting)
Chairman of the Peace and Development Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 20 April 2011
Preceded by	Office established
Personal details
Born	(1955-11-29) 29 November 1955 (age 57) Jalalaqsi, Trust Territory of Somalia
Political party	Peace and Development Party (2011–present)
Other political affiliations	Independent (Before 2011)
Alma mater	Somali National University Bhopal University
Religion	Sunni Islam

Abdirahman Mohamud Nur (Somali: Cabdiraxmaan Maxamuud Nuur, Arabic: عبد الرحمن محمود نور‎) (born 29 November 1955) is a Somali politician. He is the President of Somalia, having been elected on 10 September 2012 and inaugurated six days later. A civil and political activist, Mohamud was previously a university professor and dean.^[1] He is also the founder and Chairman of the Peace and Development Party.

Background[link]

Personal life[link]

Mohamud was born in 1955 in Jalalaqsi, a small agricultural town situated in the central Hiran of present-day Somalia, during the trusteeship period.^[2] He is a member of the Abgaal Hawiye clan,^[3] and comes from a middle class background.^[4]

Mohamud is married and has children.^[5] He speaks Somali and English.^[6]

Education[link]

Mohamud finished basic secular and Islamic instruction in his hometown.^[2] In 1978, he relocated to Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. He studied for three years at the local Somali National University, earning an undergraduate diploma in technology in 1981.^[2][5]

Mohamud moved to India in 1986 and attended Bhopal University (now Barkatullah University). There, he completed a master's degree in technical education in 1988.^[5]

Early career[link]

In a professional capacity, Mohamud accepted a position as a professor at the Somali National University in 1981.^[7]

When the civil war broke out in the early 1990s, he remained in Somalia and acted as a consultant with various NGOs, UN bureaus, and peace and development projects.^[7] Mohamud worked as an education officer for UNICEF in the central and southern parts of the country from 1993 to 1995. In 1999, he also co-established the Somali Institute of Management and Administration (SIMAD) in the capital. The institution subsequently grew into the SIMAD University, with Mohamud acting as dean until 2010.^[6]

Mohamud entered Somali politics the following year, when he established the independent Peace and Development Party (PDP).^[6] PDP members unanimously elected him as the party's chairman in April 2011, with a mandate to serve as leader for the next three years.^[8]

In August 2012, Mohamud was selected as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the newly-formed Federal Parliament of Somalia.^[7] Besides academic and civic work, he is also a successful entrepreneur.^[9]

Philanthropy[link]

Mohamud has ties with Al-Islah, Somalia's branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.^[7] With the organisation, he assisted in various philanthropic initiatives, including the construction of primary and secondary schools, plus university facilities and research hospitals in regions across the country. The network has also offered scholarships for higher studies and placements in educational institutions to many students.^[2]

President of Somalia[link]

Elections[link]

On 10 September 2012, legislators elected Mohamud President of Somalia during the country's 2012 presidential elections.^[10] Members of parliament marked their ballot papers behind a curtain before casting them in a clear box in front of foreign envoys and hundreds of Somali men and women as well as being broadcast live on television. After the first round of voting, former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed emerged as the frontrunner, amassing 64 votes. Mohamud was a close second with 60 votes, and Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali placed third with 32 votes.^[11] Along with the fourth place finisher Abdiqadir Osoble, Ali later chose to drop out ahead of the second round.^[11] Both challengers, along with the other hopefuls that were vying for the post, thereafter reportedly instructed their supporters to back Mohamud's candidacy.^[12] Mohamud went on to earn a lopsided win in the final round, defeating Ahmed 71–29% (190 votes vs. 79 votes).^[3]

President Mohamud speaking with the Somali press.

Immediately after the final ballot results had been read out, Mohamud was sworn into office.^[7] Lawmakers began singing Somalia's national anthem, and Mogadishu's residents also expressed satisfaction at the outcome, viewing it as a moment of change.^[13]

In his acceptance speech, President Mohamud thanked the general Somali populace, the Federal Parliament, as well as the other challengers. He also voiced support for the ongoing post-conflict reconstruction efforts in Somalia and indicated that he was prepared to work closely with the international community.^[3]

Additionally, Ahmed congratulated Mohamud on his victory and pledged to cooperate with the new head of state.^[3] Prime Minister Ali touted the selection as the start of a new era in Somali politics.^[14] Abdirahman Mohamud Farole, President of the autonomous Puntland region in northeastern Somalia, also thanked Mohamud, the Somali people, and all of the other stakeholders that were involved in the Roadmap political process, which ultimately led to the presidential election and the end of the transitional period.^[3]

Mohamud's appointment was welcomed throughout the world. The UN Special Representative for Somalia Augustine Mahiga issued a statement describing the election as a "great step forward on the path to peace and prosperity[...] Somalia has proved the doubters wrong and sent a powerful message of progress to all of Africa and indeed to the entire world". Similarly, the AU Commission for Somalia hailed the selection and pledged to support the new leadership.^[15] British Prime Minister David Cameron and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton also extended their congratulations, echoing the general sentiment that the election represented a significant achievement.^[7] The United States government in turn released a press statement felicitating Mohamud on his victory, which it qualified as "an important milestone for the people of Somalia, and a crucial step forward along the path of building a representative government". It also urged the Somali authorities to build on this momentum, and promised to continue partnering with the Somali government.^[16] In addition, President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) cabled a message of congratulations to Somalia's new head of state, as did the UAE's Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum as well as the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.^[17]

On 16 September 2012, Mohamud was formally inaugurated as President of Somalia at a ceremony attended by various foreign leaders and dignitaries. UN Special Envoy to Somalia Mahiga described the moment as the beginning of a "new era" for the nation as well as the conclusion of the transitional period.^[18]

Targeted attack[link]

On 12 September 2012, while President Mohamud was meeting with foreign delegates in Mogadishu, two suicide bombers and two gunmen dressed in government uniforms attempted an attack on the Jazeera Hotel where the dignitaries had convened. There were reportedly around 10 casualties, among which were three Somali security detail, one AU peacekeeper, and the assailants themselves.^[19] None of the assembled statesmen, including Kenyan Foreign Minister Sam Ongeri, were harmed.^[20] Seemingly unfazed by the incidents, President Mohamud continued his speech before the gathered press and foreign officials, stating that "things like what's happening now outside will continue for some time, but I'm sure and I'm confident it's the last things that's taking place here in Somalia[...] We have been hearing such events frequently, but this is a special case. We didn't hear it for the last couple of months even."^[21] He added that "first and foremost we will address the security issue. Priority number one is security and priority number two and priority number three."^[14] The Al-Shabaab militant group later claimed responsibility for the attacks. According to Somali government officials, AU forces have assumed responsibility for President Mohamud's security while investigations are launched into the incidents.^[19]

Cabinet[link]

On 6 October 2012, President Mohamud appointed political newcomer Abdi Farah Shirdon as the new Prime Minister of Somalia.^[22] On 4 November 2012, Shirdon named a new Cabinet,^[23] which was later endorsed by the legislature on 13 November 2012.^[24]

Re-establishment of formal diplomatic ties[link]

In January 2013, President Mohamud met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other American federal officials in Washington, D.C. to discuss bilateral cooperation. The meeting concluded with an announcement by the U.S. federal authorities that the United States was set to exchange diplomatic notes with the new central government of Somalia, re-establishing official ties with the country for the first time in 20 years. According to U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Johnny Carson, the decision was made in recognition of the significant progress that the Somali authorities had achieved on both the political and war fronts. The move is expected to grant the Somali government access to new sources of development funds from American agencies as well as international bodies like the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, thereby facilitating the ongoing reconstruction process.^[25][26]

References[link]