William Syad was born in French Somalia in 1930 and was educated in Saudi Arabia and at the University of Paris, Sorbonne. As a supporter of Somalian unity, Syad has spent much of his life in exile. He worked for Radio Djibouti from 19551960 but then fled into exile once again. When the Somalia Republic was formed, Syad became head of the department of Tourism and Culture at the Ministry of Information in Mogadishu. This was followed by a long and distinguished career in the Somali foreign service.

Website: http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/cm/africana/syad.htm