Sharif Sheikh Ahmed

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Sharif Sheikh Ahmed
شيخ شريف شيخ أحمد
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed in 2021
7th President of Somalia
In office 31 January 2009 – 20 August 2012
Prime Minister	Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo Abdiweli Mohamed Ali
Preceded by	Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
Succeeded by	Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
1st Chairman of the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia
In office 15 September 2007 – 31 January 2009
Preceded by	Office Established
Succeeded by	Office Abolished
1st Chairman of the Islamic Courts Union
In office 26 June 2004 – 15 September 2007
Preceded by	Office Established
Succeeded by	Office Abolished
Personal details
Born	July 25 1965 Mahaday, Somali Republic
Political party	Himilo Qaran
Alma mater	University of Kordofan

Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed (Somali: Sheekh Shariif Sheekh Axmed, Arabic: شيخ شريف شيخ أحمد; born 25 July 1965) is a Somali Politician who served as the 7th President of Somalia from 2009 to 2012. Before his presidency, he became the Chairman of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) from 2004 to 2007 and the Alliance of Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) from 2007 to 2009.

In 2004, Sharif became the head of the ICU. By mid-2006, the organization had wrested control of Mogadishu from warlords and expanded territorial control across much of Somalia. This rapid rise prompted a full-scale Ethiopian invasion in late 2006, leading to the ICU's governing body to collapse. In the ensuing military occupation and Islamist insurgency, Sharif assumed leadership of the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS). Following Ethiopia’s troop withdrawal in January 2009, he was elected President of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG).

Sharif’s TFG administration faced fierce opposition from militant groups like Al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam, which demanded the withdrawal of African Union troops that had been deployed following the invasion and the full implementation of Sharia law. In early 2009, his government nearly fell to an insurgent offensive in Mogadishu.^[1] However, by 2011, his administration—with African Union support—managed to drive Al-Shabaab out of the capital.^[2] Despite these gains, Somalia under Sharif's leadership continued to rank as a failed state, struggling with limited popular support and widespread governance challenges.^[3][4] By the end of his term, the TFG transitioned into the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS). In the 2012 presidential election, Sharif was defeated by Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

After his presidency, Sharif founded the Islamic democratic Himilo Qaran political party and later established the Forum for National Parties. He also serves as chairperson of the Council of Presidential Candidates of Somalia.