Abdullahi Said Osman
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (July 2025) |
Abdullahi Said Osman | |
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| Born | July 7, 1939 Berbera, British Somaliland |
| Died | January 26, 2016 Grand Forks, ND USA |
| Alma mater | University of Hull, LL.B (1963); Long Island University, MSc (1990) |
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Abdullahi Said Osman (Somali: Cabdillahi Saciid Cismaan , Arabic: عبد الله سعيد عثمان July 7, 1939 - January 26, 2016) was a Somali lawyer, diplomat and representative who served the Somali government and international organizations as State Attorney General of Somalia, Ambassador of Somalia to the United Nations, and Assistant Secretary General of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).
Early life and education
[edit]Osman was born on July 7, 1939 in Berbera, British Somaliland, East Africa, in the Aboyonis sub-clan of the Geri Koombe clan, a sub-clan of the Darod clan. He completed his secondary education from Amud School in 1959.
Osman pursued his post-secondary education in England where he received his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B. with honors) certificate from University of Hull in 1963. He was admitted to the English Bar as a Barrister in 1964; Lord Patrick Mayhew would serve as a mentor to Osman whilst studying in England. Later in his career, Ambassador Osman would receive a Master of Science in social sciences from Long Island University in 1990.
Career
[edit]In the late 1960s, Osman, then a Somali delegate, was invited by the United States Government (hosted by the US Department of Justice) and given an official country tour — touring several cities and states such as New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Hawaii. The tour gave Osman a broader perspective of the modern American way of living during the time. This was regarded as one of Osman's more memorable and eventful official trips as a representing official during his career.
In the 1970s, Osman would continue partaking in official trips to the US, this time more frequently — commencing a string of his membership in, and later (alternate) head of, the Somali delegation to the UN General Assembly held in New York. Osman would eventually be stationed in New York, in 1984, as a Permanent Representative of Somalia to the United Nations HQ.
In 1991, while campaigning for Assistant Secretary General of the OAU in Abuja, Nigeria, as an unlikely contender to win, it is also worthwhile noting that Ambassador Osman was once considered a strong candidate for the role of Deputy Under Secretary General of the United Nations, having had amicable relations with and prospective endorsement by then-UN Secretary General, Javier Perez de Cuellar, along with other key players within the diplomatic arena during that era. Among them were former UN Under Secretary General, Abdulrahim Abby Farah, and others. The election for OAU Assistant Secretary General would uphold in favor of Ambassador Osman, thus not formally pursuing with his candidature for UN Deputy Under Secretary General.
Diplomatic positions held
[edit]1964 Legal Counselor, Office of the Prime Minister, Somalia
1964–1966 Legislative Dept. Director, Somalia
1967–1969 Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Somalia
1970–1976 State Attorney General (Avvocate Generale Dello Stato), Somalia
1976–1984 Permanent Representative of Somalia to the United Nations, Geneva
1984–1991 Permanent Representative of Somalia to the United Nations, New York
1991–1995 Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of African Unity (OAU)
1995–1997 Senior Consultant, Capacity Building, Organization of African Unity (OAU)
1997–1999 Senior Advisor, UNDP Project
2003–2005 Diplomat in Residence, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR), George Mason University
References
[edit]Hassan, Abdelkarim A. "AN INTERVIEW WITH AMB. ABDILLAHI SAID OSMAN." Wardheernews. 2006. 2022. <https://wardheernews.com/an-interview-with-amb-abdillahi-said-osman/>
Derecho Internacional Publico. "UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF SEA." United Nations. <https://www.dipublico.org/conferencias/mar/pdffiles/papers/LOS_PCN_INF_6.pdf>
Ali, Ismael. "IN MEMORIAM: AMB. ABDULLAHI SAID OSMAN." Voice Somalia. 6 Feb 2016. 10 Apr 2022. <https://voicesomaliaonline.wordpress.com/2016/02/06/in-memoriam-amb-abdullahi-said-osman/>
Osman, Nasser A. "A.S. OSMAN DOCS." Medium. 25 Apr 2025. 25 Apr 2025. <https://medium.com/@nasser.a.osman/a-s-osman-docs-e037ed664bf0>
Osman, Mohamed A. "DJIBOUTI VS KENYA 2020 IS ODDLY REMINISCENT OF SOMALIA VS ETHIOPIA 1984." Wardheernews. 22 Jun. 2020. 11 Feb. 2022. <https://wardheernews.com/djibouti-vs-kenya-2020-is-oddly-reminiscent-of-somalia-vs-ethiopia-1984/>
Osman, Nasser A. "Ambassador Abdullahi Said Osman." Medium. 23 Jun. 2023. 20 Sept. 2023. <https://medium.com/@nasser.a.osman/abdullahi-said-osman-c917c3cabcab>
Osman, Abdullahi S. Personal Interview. 2015