Islamabad (Khyber Mail): Mohamed Yahya, the newly appointed United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in Pakistan, shares his remarkable journey from being a refugee to assuming a pivotal role in international diplomacy.
In an exclusive interview with Melissa Fleming, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, Yahya recounts his experiences in the latest episode of ‘Awake At Night,’ titled “No Place Like Home.”
As a former child refugee from Somalia, Yahya intimately understands the pain of longing for a lost home. His emotional connection to displaced communities led him to play a crucial role in facilitating their return to their towns, even years after fleeing conflict. During his tenure in Nigeria, he witnessed whole communities reestablishing themselves in the north of the country after escaping the brutal grip of Boko Haram.
Reflecting on his own displacement, Yahya shares, “I left my home in Somalia at the age of three or four. Seeing others return home stirs a mix of envy and hope within me. As a refugee, there’s always a sense of something missing—a longing to return to where you were born.”
Despite the challenges, Yahya remains committed to the UN’s mission of fostering hope. He acknowledges the pressing concerns, including climate risks, but emphasizes that working for the UN means contributing to a better world—for everyone, including his own daughter.
Excited about his new role in Pakistan, Yahya serves as the Humanitarian Coordinator, supporting the country’s development goals and resilience against climate-induced crises such as flooding. With the UN’s substantial presence in Pakistan, he looks forward to making a positive impact on the lives of its people.