Friday August 29, 2025
MOGADISHU, Somalia (HOL) — Ambassador Mohamed Ali Nur, widely known as Americo, has been appointed director of Mogadishu Port, replacing Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud, who is commonly known as Washington, Somali officials announced Thursday.
The handover ceremony at the port was led by Minister of Ports and Marine Transport Abdullahi Mohamed Nur and attended by senior government officials, employees, and business leaders.
In his first remarks, Americo underscored the port’s central role in Somalia’s economic recovery. “Mogadishu Port is the lifeline of Somalia’s economy. Our goal is to expand services, ensure accountability, and create an environment that encourages investment and trade,” he said.
Officials praised Mohamud for guiding the port through years of instability, citing his efforts to keep operations running despite security risks and global trade disruptions.
Mogadishu Port handles most of Somalia’s imports and exports and remains a major source of state revenue. Its modernization has been identified as a government priority to strengthen domestic institutions, expand infrastructure, and reduce reliance on foreign aid.
The leadership transition comes as ports across the Horn of Africa compete for international investment and maritime traffic. Somali authorities see Mogadishu Port’s development as key to positioning the country more competitively in regional trade.
Americo, served as Somalia’s ambassador to Kenya from 2007 to 2015, where he oversaw the reopening of the Somali embassy in Nairobi after a 17-year closure and reclaimed embassy property sold during the civil war. A graduate of Montgomery College and the University of Maryland, he began his career at Somalia’s Central Bank in the late 1980s. Americo also ran as a candidate in Somalia’s 2017 presidential election, campaigning on platforms of security reform and youth inclusion.