Omar Abdi

Who is Omar Abdi?

Omar Abdi is a Somali-Canadian diplomat and humanitarian who currently serves as Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund. He was appointed to the position by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in July 2007.

Abdi obtained a bachelor's degree in civil engineering in 1982, a master's degree in regional planning in 1988, and a doctorate in development economics in 1991.

Before joining UNICEF, he served in the Government of Somalia as Senior Planning Officer in the National Refugee Commission from 1982 to 1986 and Director of the Planning Department from 1987 to 1989.

In 1992, he became a Programme Officer in Liberia and was transferred to New York in 1994. From September 1996 to June 1998, he served as UNICEF Representative in Liberia. Subsequently, he became UNICEF Representative in Ghana in June 1998. Since June 2000, he served as Deputy Director of the Programme Division at United Nations Headquarters until 2003.

In the subsequent years, Abdi held various positions within UNICEF, including as UNICEF Representative in Islamabad, Pakistan and as UNICEF Director of the Middle East and North Africa Region.