
Guled Ahmed has more than 15 years’ experience in hydropower, water resources management, and highways infrastructure projects in developing and developed countries. His water resources experience includes drainage and storm water management design, green and sustainable infrastructure planning, H&H modeling of floodplains, bridges and culverts, and GIS-based watershed assessments and planning. Guled has also been incredibly involved as an advocate on Horn of Africa (HoA) water transboundary treaties, cross-border energy and water security, climate change, and Paris Agreement reforms. As an entrepreneur he has founded two renewable energy companies, Power OffGrid and Jiko Biogas, in Somalia. He has developed disruptive, innovative, and affordable smart hybrid renewable energy and asset financing systems, increasing access to electricity, adequate clean water, and clean cooking, improving productivity in sectors in rural and urban areas in Somalia. He is also certified as a Global Juror of SDG11.
Languages
Somali and English
Region of Expertise
Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sub-Saharan Africa and Horn of Africa (HoA)
Issues of Expertise
Climate change, water, food and energy security, international transboundary water treaties, renewable energy, smart infrastructure and sustainable development, environment.
Recent Interviews & Publications
- "He's turning lights on in war-torn rural Somalia, one panel at a time," Ozy, October 2018.
- "Local flair transforms clean energy funding in Somalia," ESI Africa, February 2020.
- "Somalia herders hooked up to solar power by payment of a goat, Radio Ergo, October 2019.
- "Power OffGrid: Innovating the Energy Market in Somalia," Impakter, April 2019.
- "With COVID-19 causing food insecurity, cold storage facilities are more important than ever for fishermen, here's why...," CNBC Africa, April 2020.
Contact Information
Please contact MEI’s media relations manager, Rachel Dooley, at rdooley@mei.edu or 202-785-1141 ext. 241 for assistance contacting this expert.
Twitter Handle: @GuledWiliq