U.S. Senator Ted Cruz has called on the U.S. Department of State to issue a separate travel advisory for Somaliland, arguing that the current policy treating Somaliland the same as Somalia fails to reflect the territory’s security, governance, and democratic record.
In a letter addressed to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Cruz, who serves as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, urged the State Department to establish a region-specific Travel Advisory distinguishing Somaliland from Somalia.
Cruz criticized the Department’s existing Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Somalia, which currently includes Somaliland. He argued that the advisory inaccurately portrays conditions in Somaliland by citing threats such as crime, kidnapping, terrorism, civil unrest, piracy, landmines, systematic mistreatment of women and other individuals, abuse in rehabilitation centers, and passport confiscation by family members.
“That assessment does not reflect the reality on the ground in Somaliland,” Cruz wrote.
The senator highlighted Somaliland’s record of self-governance, noting that it has functioned as a stable, democratic entity for nearly three decades.
“Since 2003, it has held multiple peaceful, competitive elections and democratic transfers of power,” Cruz said, adding that Somaliland has become “a reliable security and diplomatic partner for the United States that advances American interests in the Horn of Africa and beyond.”
Cruz argued that maintaining a single travel advisory for all of Somalia undermines U.S. strategic interests and provides misleading information to American travelers.
“The current advisory is inaccurate and counterproductive to U.S. national security interests. Americans deserve travel guidance that reflects the conditions on the ground, rather than a one-size-fits-all assessment that fails to distinguish Somaliland’s peaceful governance and security environment from conditions elsewhere in Somalia,” the letter states.
He urged Secretary Rubio to direct the Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security to conduct a tiered assessment of Somalia and create a separate advisory specifically for Somaliland.
According to Cruz, issuing a distinct travel advisory would provide more accurate guidance to U.S. citizens while strengthening engagement with what he described as “one of our most dependable partners in the Horn of Africa.”
The latest appeal builds on Cruz’s longstanding support for closer U.S.-Somaliland relations. In August 2025, the Texas senator sent a separate letter to President Donald Trump urging his administration to formally recognize the Republic of Somaliland as an independent state.
The letter marks another high-profile expression of support for Somaliland in the U.S. Congress as discussions continue over Washington’s engagement in the strategically important Horn of Africa.