Mogadishu - October 1987

I first met Baquer in October 1987 when I arrived in Mogadishu, Somalia.  I was the incoming UNICEF Representative.  He was the outgoing, and had been recently transferred to Nairobi as Representative for Kenya.  Baquer had stayed on until my arrival in order to be able personally to take me around to meet all the ministers and other senior counterparts in government.  Such an opportunity is rare in handovers of UN missions, so it was kind of him to wait for me, despite needing to get on to his new post.

I remember several of our meetings with ministers.  In each, the theme quickly turned to services for women and children in nomadic families - how they remained out of  reach for the meager health and education services the government offered in cities.  Children of nomads were Baquer’s passion.  He talked about them constantly, and about the need to provide equal opportunities for both rural and urban children.  

We had only a few days together.  When Baquer departed, however, he left behind a wide group of staff both in government and in international agencies energized by his focus on the nomads and all who lay beyond the reach of services.