Ismail Sh. Hassan

Amb. Ismail Sheikh Hassan or Ismail Sheikh Hassan Nuriye also referred to as His Excelleny H.E Mohamed Sheikh (Somali: Ismaciil Sheekh Xassan ama Ismaciil Sheekh Xassan Nuuriye, Arabic: إسماعيل شيخ حسن نوريه Amharic: እስማኤል ሼክ ሐሰን),was born and had studied in Dire Dawa eastern part of Ethiopia. He had studied in Koranic school, then studied French at the Alliance Française. Later, he was teaching in this French school. As a son of Dire Dawa he had the ability of speaking several local and international languages among which Amharic, Somali, Arabic, French, English… In the late fifties he went to the capital city Addis Ababa. He started working at the special cabinet of Emperor Haile Selassie. The Emperor granted him the noble title of “Kegn Azmatch” for his appreciated work for the nation. In the early seventies he was sent to Israel for further studies. In the aftermath of these studies he was nominated as “Charge d’Affaire” to Sudan. In the early eighties he was nominated as ambassador to Libya. As a prominent ambassador for Ethiopia, Ismail Sheikh Hassan was 1 of the 3 ambassadorial brothers from Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia, all ethnic Somalis, the other 2 brothers were Mohamed Sheikh Hassan and Aden Sheikh Hassan. All from the same prominent family who were one of the most interesting in the Horn of Africa.The first time in history 3 Somali brothers managed to become ambassadors in 3 neighbouring countries.

His Excellency Ismail Nuriye እስማኤል ሼክ ሐሰን Ismaciil Sheekh Xassan Nuuriye
Ambassador of Ethiopia to Libya

Ambassador Ismail Sheikh Hassan have six children. Two girls and four boys. His elder son, Fouad Ismaël Frédéric had studied in the French School of Addis Ababa, then in Sorbonne University where he studied Political Science. Following the footsteps of his father he had a carrier as an international civil servant in several international NGO, the UN, the Eu and the African Development Bank where he finished his carrier as a diplomat and the Director of Ethics.^[1]

History

Ismail hails from a prominent family who were one of the most interesting in the Horn of Africa. They are known as the Ambassadorial Brothers. His father Sheikh Hassan Nuriye was a prominent Sheikh in Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia. Sheikh Hassan had sired three sons who represented three African countries at ambassadorial level. Ismail brothers are Mohamed Sheikh Hassan who represented Somalia at ambassadorial level and was the ambassador to Canada, Nigeria and South Africa. His other brother Adan was the Djiboutian ambassador to Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Ismail Sheikh Hassan belongs to the Rer Ughaz (Reer Ugaas), Makahiildheere (Makahildere), subsection of the Makahiil (Makahil) branch of the Gadabursi (Gadabuursi).^[2][3] Ismail served his country Ethiopia as ambassador to Libya.^[4]

Career

• In the fifties, Ismail Sheikh Hassan was a teacher in the “Alliance Française” of Dire Dawa in east Ethiopia. (Several civil servants in Djibouti, including the current President of Djibouti were among his students).

• In the late fifties, he moved to Addis Ababa, where he was hired at the special cabinet of Emperor Haile Selassie.

• In the late sixties, the Emperor granted him the noble title of “Kegn Azmatch” for his appreciated work for the nation.

• In the early seventies he was sent to Israel for further studies.
• In the aftermath of these studies he was nominated as a diplomat and “Charge d’Affaire” to Sudan.

• In the early eighties he was nominated as ambassador to Libya.

• After a long and brilliant diplomatic carrier, His Excellency, “Kegn Azmatch”, Ambassador Ismail Sheikh Hassan passed away in Riyadh Saudi Arabia, mid-2007.

Family tree

• Sheikh Hassan Nuriye, Father of all 3 Ambassadors and prominent Sheikh in all 3 countries
• Mohamed Sheikh Hassan - Ambassador for Somalia to United Arab Republic, Canada and Nigeria
• Ismail Sheikh Hassan - Prominent civil servant at the special Cabinet of Emperor Haile Selassie- Diplomat & Charge d’Affaire in Sudan - Plenipotentiary Ambassador for Ethiopia to Libya. His elder son, Fouad Ismaël Frédéric, followed his footsteps and became an International Civil Servant Diplomat and Director of Ethics at the African Development Bank, before retiring.
• Aden Sheikh Hassan - Ambassador for Djibouti to Oman, Saudi Arabia and Egypt

Sheikh Hassan Nuriye

Mohamed

Ismail

Aden

Three Somali brothers were citizens of three different countries, working in sensitive posts for three different governments

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