Somalia: NUSOJ welcomes new information minister

Abdulkadir Hussein Mohamed, who officially took the oath of office on Thursday, 28 July 2011, studied his bachelor degree in electronics communication engineering at North London University and took his MS at France Ornile University, submarine systems. The union believes that he will give services to the Somalia media, particularly the journalists who are working under hostile environments.

"We unreservedly welcome the new minister of information, posts and telecommunication, Eng. Abdulkadir Hussein Mohamed and pledge to continue our cooperation with the ministry," said Mohammed Ibrahim, NUSOJ secretary general.

Promoting a free media

Hussein Mohamed previously worked as director of telecommunication at the Ministry of Information, Posts and Telecommunication and has a good knowledge of the Somali media stakeholders.

"We urge the new minister of information, posts and telecommunication , Eng. Abdulkadir to complete the pending tasks ahead and hope that he will come up with policies and strategies to promote the freedom of expression and the press while developing the Somali media industry both government or privately-owned." Ibrahim added.

He will replace the former minister, Dr. Abdulkareem Jama who will be remembered among others for his milestone development and support to the Somali journalists, his perfect collaboration with the union and his campaign for free media in Somalia through the initiative of establishing the independent regulatory body (Independent Media Council) that will revise the media law passed by parliament in 2008 in Baidoa, Somalia.

"As soon as the media law is revised in accordance with the Somali justice system and international norms of media regulations, our suffering will come to an end," Ibrahim said. "We will work with the new minister and will cooperate in promoting the freedom of the press and the development of the Somali media in general."