Somaliland, a self-governing region within Somalia, will be much closer to being recognized by the United States as the world’s newest country when Donald Trump returns to the White House in January.
Support for the region has grown strong among Republican US-Africa policy leaders on Capitol Hill, right-leaning Washington DC think tanks, and likely Africa advisors of Trump’s incoming White House. Many of these people told Semafor Africa they would encourage Trump to recognize Somaliland “even if it wasn’t on Day One.”
Recognizing Somaliland could enable US intelligence to set up long term operations to monitor the movement of weapons in a volatile region as well as keep an eye on Chinese activity. China already has a permanent military base in neighboring Djibouti. It should allow the US to better monitor Houthi activity in Yemen.
Last month the territory held its sixth successful election since reclaiming independence from Somalia in 1991, bringing opposition leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi to office as president. Republicans and other supporters have been encouraged by Somaliland’s democratic strides with a one-person, one-vote system even as conflict-ridden Somalia struggles to organize any elections.
Peter Pham, a former Africa envoy in Trump’s first term, said Somaliland’s democratic process had “demonstrated its attractiveness as a partner for the United States and other countries.”
Somalilanders who spoke with Semafor Africa from the capital Hargeisa soon after the Nov.13 election said they were confident Trump’s return to the White House will boost their aspirations for independence. “We have a golden opportunity to be closer if not for full recognition but much closer engagement with the US,” said Bashir Goth, who heads the Somaliland mission in Washington DC.
