U.S.–Somaliland Strategic Partnership Summit
“Recognition Restored: Building the U.S.–Somaliland Strategic Partnership for the 21st Century”
Thursday, June 25, 2026 · The Westin Tysons Corner · Falls Church, Virginia
This document records the conclusions reached at the U.S.–Somaliland Strategic Partnership Summit, sets forth the Declaration adopted by its participants, and issues the Call to Action to which they have committed. It is drawn directly from the proceedings of the day — the historical and legal case for recognition, the strategic assessment of Somaliland’s position in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the bilateral U.S.–Somaliland partnership, and the concrete opportunities for trade, security, education, and development that the Summit examined.
Part I
Summit Conclusion
A Synthesis of the Day’s Proceedings
On June 25, 2026, supporters of the Republic of Somaliland — policy analysts, scholars, security professionals, business and faith leaders, and members of the diaspora — convened at The Westin Tysons Corner in Falls Church, Virginia, under the auspices of the Somaliland Strategic Advisory Group. They came to answer a single question with new urgency: how the United States and Somaliland, together with the State of Israel, should build a strategic partnership equal to a changed world. The Summit’s deliberations converged on a clear conclusion. The case for recognition is no longer merely a matter of historical justice; it is a matter of present strategic interest for the United States — and the moment to act is now.
- Who Is Somaliland — The Historical and Democratic Foundation
In its opening session, the Summit established that Somaliland’s claim rests on documented facts. British Somaliland attained sovereign independence on June 26, 1960, and was recognized by more than thirty-five countries before voluntarily entering a union with the former Italian Somaliland, which was never perfected in law. The restoration of Somaliland’s sovereignty in 1991 returned it to its internationally recognized 1960 borders. In the thirty-five years since, Somaliland has built a constitutional government, held repeated competitive elections, peacefully transferred power, established an independent currency, and maintained durable internal security — achievements presented by Dr. Ali Duale and the Session I panel, moderated by Safia Hashi, which included Anab Ali and Ayan Ismail. The panel discussed the democratic process and the role of women. Ayan Ismail, a candidate for parliament in Somaliland, addressed the challenges women face in participating in the political process.
- Why Somaliland Matters Now — The Strategic Imperative
Across both parts of its second session, the Summit reached an unambiguous strategic assessment. A presentation by Fuad Ismail made the case in the first part. Somaliland sits astride one of the world’s most consequential maritime corridors — the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the approaches to the Bab el-Mandeb — at a moment when freedom of navigation can no longer be taken for granted, and the security of global trade is contested. The deep-water Port of Berbera is a strategic gateway; Somaliland’s counterterrorism and maritime-security record is proven; and the contest for influence in the Horn of Africa is already underway. In the second part, moderated by Burhan Adam, the distinguished panel of Dr. Jamal Ali Hussein, Mohamed Yasin Olad, and Rageh Omaar — a highlight of the Summit — brought exceptional depth and rigor to this assessment, concluding that an unrecognized, unanchored Somaliland is a strategic liability the West cannot afford, while a recognized, partnered Somaliland is an asset of the first order.
- The U.S.–Somaliland Partnership
A dedicated session led by Rabbi Michael Freund and Joel Rubin focused on building upon the State of Israel’s recent recognition of the Republic of Somaliland. The summit called for exploring mutually beneficial opportunities and advancing a U.S.–Somaliland partnership grounded in stronger diplomatic and economic ties, expanded business-to-business engagement, and a shared strategic vision for security and stability in the Red Sea region.
- What Opportunities Exist — The Partnership Agenda
In its third session, led by Dr. Osman Shiekh Ahmed and Bob Marro, the Summit turned to the concrete agenda of mutual benefit. Participants identified trade and investment through the Berbera Corridor; rare-earth minerals, energy, and critical minerals cooperation; strategic resource partnerships; cross-sector economic cooperation; and diplomatic and interfaith partnership as the pillars of a durable U.S.–Somaliland relationship. The guiding question throughout was practical and reciprocal: what is in it for Somaliland, for the United States, and for international partners alike. The Washington lobbying keynote by Dr. Saad Sheik Osman Noor, Somaliland’s former U.S. representative, and Steven Goodman’s account of a recent visit to Somaliland grounded that agenda in the realities of advocacy and engagement.
- The Legal and Institutional Case
The Summit heard from the Somaliland Recognition Institute, presented by Charles Kotuby and joined by Ambassador David Carden, which established the legal framework enabling international recognition. Additionally, Badri Jimale traced the origins of the e-visa regime imposed by Somalia on travelers bound for Somaliland, and the real harm it does — an attempt by Mogadishu to assert control over entry into a territory it does not govern, sowing confusion for visitors and investors and undercutting Somaliland’s ability to manage its own borders. Set against Somaliland’s functioning institutions and capacity to conduct its own affairs, the contrast made the point on its own: Somaliland is not a proposition on paper, but a working state, and the e-visa imposition is a reminder of why recognition matters in practice.
- The Human Foundation — Education and the Next Generation
Through the impeccable story of the Abaarso School and its impact, presented by its founder, Jonathan Starr, from a high school in Somaliland to student admissions to the world’s leading universities and higher education institutions, and a presentation on youth skill development by Qania Ismail, the Summit underscored that Somaliland’s greatest asset is its people. A generation is being educated and prepared to lead, and the partnership the Summit envisions must invest in that human foundation and development.
- The Strategic Moment — Why Today, Not Tomorrow
In the Strategy Moment, through the impressive panel of Dr. Kayse Farah, Yasin Abdi, and Abdirazik Jama, moderated by Burhan Adam, the Summit confronted the question of timing directly. Participants concluded that a narrowing window for first-mover advantage now exists; that the United States must secure its influence before strategic competitors commit irreversibly;
that recognition aligns with current U.S. strategic priorities; and that the costs and risks of continued delay are mounting. The diaspora’s momentum must now be converted into policy outcomes through durable, institution-to-institution ties. The conclusion of the day was therefore not a request for sympathy, but a summons to action.
Part II
Summit Declaration
Adopted by the Participants · June 25, 2026
We, the participants in the U.S.–Somaliland Strategic Partnership Summit, gathered by the Somaliland Strategic Advisory Group in Falls Church, Virginia, on the twenty-fifth day of June, 2026 — having weighed the historical record, the legal foundation, the democratic achievement, the partnership now opening with Israel and the United States, and the strategic necessity of recognition — adopt this Declaration:
Recalling that Somaliland won its full independence from the United Kingdom on June 26, 1960, within borders drawn by international treaty, and was recognized by more than thirty-five nations — the United States among them — before it entered a union with Somalia that was never lawfully ratified;
Affirming that the restoration of Somaliland’s independence in 1991 returned a sovereign people to borders the world already knew, and that for thirty-five years Somaliland has met every test of statehood — a settled population, a defined territory, a working government, and the capacity to deal with other nations;
Recognizing that Somaliland has built and held together, without recognition and without much outside help, a constitutional democracy with competitive elections, peaceful transfers of power, its own currency, professional security forces, a free press, and protection for human rights that are rare in its neighborhood;
Mindful that Somaliland stands at a place of real strategic weight — on the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the approaches to the Bab el-Mandeb — at a moment when freedom of navigation and the safety of global trade have become vital concerns for the United States and every maritime nation;
Welcoming the historic recognition of the Republic of Somaliland by the State of Israel, a milestone that affirms Somaliland’s standing among nations and opens the way for others to follow;
Resolved to promote and advance a strong and enduring U.S.–Somaliland partnership — a framework for diplomatic, economic, and security cooperation in the service of regional stability and shared prosperity;
Noting the legal groundwork for recognition laid by the Somaliland Recognition Institute, and the proven record against terrorism and at sea that makes Somaliland a partner of the first order;
Convinced that the window of opportunity is narrowing, and that the price of further delay — strategic, economic, and moral — grows heavier with every passing month;
Now, therefore, we declare:
- Recognition restored, not created. Recognizing the Republic of Somaliland means restoring the sovereignty that the world already acknowledged in 1960. It is not secession, and it sets no precedent for instability. The legal case is finished; what is left is the will to act on it.
- We call on the United States to recognize Somaliland now. We ask the President, the Congress, and the Government of the United States to extend formal diplomatic recognition to the Republic of Somaliland without further delay, and to open full diplomatic relations between our two nations.
- Recognition serves American interests. This is not a favor to Somaliland. It is a sound investment for the United States — securing access to the Port of Berbera, anchoring a dependable partner along a contested coastline, strengthening counterterrorism and maritime security, and denying an easy advantage to America’s competitors in the Horn of Africa.
- We affirm the U.S.–Somaliland partnership. We welcome Israel’s recognition and commit to deepening the U.S.–Somaliland partnership in diplomacy, commerce, security, and direct business ties.
- Partnership in every domain. We commit to a relationship that spans trade and investment through the Berbera Corridor, energy and critical minerals, maritime security cooperation, technology, education, and health — all built for lasting, mutual benefit.
- The democratic record is the qualification. Somaliland has earned recognition by what it has done: peace built by its own people, elections the world can trust, power handed over without bloodshed, and a generation raised to lead. We place that record before the world as the answer to every doubt.
- The moment is now. The time to engage is today, not tomorrow. First-mover advantage is real, and it does not wait. History will remember those who saw the moment — and those who let it slip away.
Adopted by the participants of the U.S.–Somaliland Strategic Partnership Summit, at The Westin Tysons Corner, Falls Church, Virginia, this twenty-fifth day of June, two thousand twenty-six.
Adopted and affirmed on behalf of the participants by the Chairwoman of the Somaliland Strategic Advisory Group:
Deman Rageh
Chairwoman, Somaliland Strategic Advisory Group (SL-SAG)
Date: 25 June 202
Part III
Call to Action
Concrete Commitments and Next Steps
A declaration is only as good as what follows it. The participants in the U.S.–Somaliland Strategic Partnership Summit commit to turning the words of this gathering into action — through the commitments below, each with an owner, a measure, and a deadline to be set as work begins.
- Adopt a shared, action-oriented roadmap. Agree on a single plan that aligns the diaspora, SL-SAG, and our partner institutions around one set of objectives and milestones, so everyone is pulling in the same direction.
- Build and run a robust strategy to secure recognition. Design and execute a comprehensive, well-resourced campaign to win formal U.S. recognition of Somaliland — with clear targets, message discipline, assigned leads, a realistic timeline, and the funding to sustain it from this Summit through to the day recognition is achieved. Coordinate with the Somaliland Government and its representative in the U.S.
- Engage think tanks, allied organizations, and political action groups. Bring research institutions, supportive organizations and entities, and political action committees into a coordinated effort to lobby the Administration and the Congress for U.S. recognition — commissioning credible analysis, building coalitions, and carrying the case directly into the rooms where policy is made. Coordinate with the Somaliland Government and its representative in the U.S.
- Establish a standing U.S.–Somaliland working group. Stand up a permanent body — built on SL-SAG, the U.S.–Somaliland Chamber of Commerce, and the Somaliland Recognition Institute — to coordinate the legal, legislative, diplomatic, and public-advocacy work between gatherings.
- Advance recognition and formal diplomatic engagement. Carry a structured campaign to the Administration, the Congress, and the relevant agencies — moving recognition from aspiration to policy and laying the groundwork for full diplomatic relations.
- Advance the U.S.–Somaliland partnership. Build out the diplomatic, economic, and business-to-business architecture of the bilateral relationship, working with the partners who helped open it at this Summit.
- Pursue trade, investment, and the Berbera Corridor. Identify and move on concrete opportunities in trade, investment, energy, and critical minerals, and prepare the ground for American participation in the Berbera Corridor.
- Mobilize sustained diaspora advocacy. Transform the energy of the diaspora into lasting policy outcomes — through organized grassroots engagement, faith-community partnerships, and sustained public diplomacy that endures beyond the Summit. Reach out and engage communities across North America.
- Establish a Recognition Rapid Response Team (R3). We will build a communications capability equal to the moment: disciplined, fast, and anchored in truth. R3 will ensure clarity, accuracy, and message unity across all external engagement, strengthening credibility and preventing misinformation from taking root.
- Launch the 50-State Strategy, engaging every level of government. We will activate a nationwide structure that reaches the government at every level at once. In each state, an accountable State Captain will cultivate relationships with local councils, state legislators, governors, and congressional delegations, focusing on where our community is strongest and where key committee members serve on the Foreign Affairs, Foreign Relations, or Armed Services committees.
- Address Somalia’s e-Visa requirements on Somaliland diaspora. In collaboration and coordination with the Somaliland Government and the diaspora, address the harms of the e-Visa, raise international awareness, and identify ways to mitigate them.
- Convene a larger Summit every year. Make this an annual event — each one bigger and more consequential than the last — drawing in more partners, more decision-makers, and more of official Washington, so that the movement gains visible momentum year over year.
- Set follow-up commitments and timelines. Name who is responsible for what, set milestones we can measure, and schedule the next gathering to review progress and hold one another to the promises made here.
Adopted by the participants of the U.S.–Somaliland Strategic Partnership Summit, at The Westin Tysons Corner, Falls Church, Virginia, this twenty-fifth day of June, two thousand twenty-six.
Adopted and affirmed on behalf of the participants by the Chairwoman of the Somaliland Strategic Advisory Group:
Deman Rageh
Chairwoman, Somaliland Strategic Advisory Group (SL-SAG)
Date: 25 June 2026