The Barry Gem
Sunday May 27, 2018
Last week, the Mayor of the Vale, Cllr Leighton Rowlands, paid tribute to Barry-born Somali diplomat Abdulrahim Abby Farah who died at his home in New York on May 14.
Mr Farah was 98 and has been described as one of Somalia’s most accomplished diplomats.
His nephew Steve Khaireh contacted The GEM to add a tribute.
He said his uncle had led a remarkable life.
“There’s an in joke in our family that we were all born in 50 Thompson Street Barry, and Abby, his son Abdulrahman, and Abdulrahim’s brother and I all received MBEs, and he was the forgotten one despite his achievements which put all of us in the shade!”
Among Mr Farah’s achievements were serving as Somalia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia from 1961 until 1965 and taking on the role of the country’s representative to the United Nations in New York from 1965 until 1972. He also represented Somalia in the League of Arab States from 1979 until 1990.
Mr Khaireh added: “He lived an amazing life. He had all his faculties and he was always humble.
“His family was always proud of the work he did around the world and the efforts he made to help communities.”Vale AM?Jane Hutt said:?“We all need to learn lessons from like Abdulrahim Abby Farah who was born and educated at Gladstone School and Barry Grammar School before leaving for Oxford and making a huge mark in the world.
“Representing Somalia in the United Nations for 25 years, Mr Farah has had an extraordinary career as a diplomat serving Somalia but also standing up for human rights and equality in South Africa and across the world.
“He is a man our children will want to know more about so we can learn lessons from him, as we give our deepest sympathies and condolences to his family, friends, community here in Wales and in Somalia.”