BUFFALO, NY-- A part of Western New York has found it's way into the country of Somalia, and its current government. The country's newly appointed Prime Minister is also a University at Buffalo Graduate.Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed fled his war torn country in the mid 1980's and settled right here in Buffalo. He enrolled at "UB," and earned a Master's Degree in American Studies under Professor Donald Grinde.
"He always did everything on time, and did a good job," says Grinde. "His Master's Thesis was on the U.S. Strategic Interest in Somalia from the Cold War to the War on Terror."
Over the years Mohamed worked in several levels of the Erie County Government, including working as an organizer during Joel Giambra's run for the County Executive Seat back in 1999. Giambra, a good friend, recalls when Mohamed recently told him of this opportunity of possibly becoming Somalia's newest Prime Minister.
"When he first informed me that he had a chance to become Prime Minister of Somalia I kinda giggled thinking it was extremely remote that somebody that number 1, somebody I knew, number 2 from Western New York could actually become the Prime Minister of this country."
Local Somalians living in Buffalo's West Side neighborhood are keeping a close eye on all the latest developments coming from their native country. All of them, including local Imam Yahye Omar are elated to hear the news.
"We're proud to have him as a Buffalonian," says Omar. "And secondly as a Prime Minister of Somalia, cause we have a lot of trouble over there, but he might fix it. I think so."
Mohamed worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Somalia before he emigrated to the United States. He's also worked at the Embassy in Washington, DC.
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