Mohamoud Walaaleye
WASHINGTON — Republic of Somaliland President H.E. Abdirahman M. Abdilahi Irro, speaking at the Hudson Institute, has presented his case for closer relations with the United States as a strategic partnership built around maritime security, economic opportunity and geopolitical access, arguing that its location along the Gulf of Aden gives Washington a dependable partner at a critical point in global trade.
Speaking at the Hudson Institute in Washington, the Somaliland President said his visit was aimed at raising awareness of Somaliland’s achievements and demonstrating how the territory could contribute to American interests in a volatile region.
The address placed Somaliland’s long-running quest for international recognition within a broader argument about security and strategic competition in Africa.
From Union to Reasserted Sovereignty
President Irro traced Somaliland’s political history to June 26, 1960, when it gained independence and international recognition before entering into a union with Somalia five days later.
He argued that the union eventually became untenable amid authoritarian rule, oppression and serious human rights violations under the Siad Barre regime. Following the collapse of Somalia’s central government in 1991, Somaliland, he said, withdrew from the union and reasserted its sovereignty.
He portrayed the subsequent three decades as an effort to build state institutions without international recognition or access to the international financial system.
Somaliland, he said, established a constitution, courts, schools, a currency, police, armed forces and a coast guard, while holding elections that have resulted in repeated and orderly transfers of power.
He argued that Somaliland’s recognition campaign should not be viewed as a conventional secessionist claim, but as an effort to restore the sovereignty it possessed before the 1960 union.
A Strategic Case for Washington
The central message of President Irro’s address, however, was not historical—it was strategic.
He argued that changing geopolitical conditions in Africa and growing instability around the Red Sea have brought Somaliland’s interests increasingly closer to those of the United States.
He criticized the international approach toward Somalia, arguing that years of international financial, diplomatic and military support had failed to produce a sufficiently effective central government.
He further accused Somalia of using its internationally recognized status to isolate Somaliland and prevent it from accessing international institutions, markets and formal agreements with other states.
Against that backdrop, Somaliland was presented as an alternative partner: stable, democratic and aligned with Western interests.
The Gulf of Aden Becomes Central to the Argument
Geography was perhaps the strongest element of the Somaliland case.
President Irro highlighted the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the wider Red Sea corridor as critical maritime routes whose importance has been reinforced by regional conflict and attacks on commercial shipping.
He argued that Somaliland’s position on the Gulf of Aden gives the United States an opportunity to work with a stable partner close to one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors.
“Proximity of that kind is a burden, but it’s equally a capability,” he said, presenting Somaliland’s coastline as an asset for maritime security, deterrence and the protection of international shipping.
The argument was reinforced by a reference to Berbera, which the President described as a modernized deep-water port and a potential logistical asset for the United States.
Berbera and the Economic Argument
The address also sought to connect recognition with American commercial interests.
Berbera was presented not simply as a port but as part of a wider economic corridor extending toward Ethiopia and potentially into East and Central African markets.
President Irro highlighted the economic zone around the port, citing tax exemptions, duty-free storage, foreign ownership and profit-repatriation provisions as incentives for international investors.
He argued that the infrastructure already in place could give American businesses an opportunity to enter the market earlier rather than later.
Somaliland’s largely undeveloped marine resources and unexplored mineral potential were also presented as potential areas for American investment.
The message to U.S. businesses was explicit: Somaliland wanted American companies to take an early position in the market and benefit from what the President described as a first-mover opportunity.
Taiwan and Israel as Examples of Deepening Partnerships
The speech also pointed to Somaliland’s relations with Taiwan as evidence of its willingness to build partnerships with democratic governments.
According to President Irro, Somaliland established relations with Taipei in 2020, with cooperation expanding into areas including medical and educational exchanges, trade and investment.
He also highlighted Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, describing it as a strategic decision based on mutual security interests rather than an act of diplomatic favor.
He said the subsequent state-level engagement, including a visit to Israel and the opening of Somaliland’s embassy in Jerusalem, demonstrated the potential for cooperation between two countries situated on opposite sides of the Red Sea.
“We Do Not Seek to Displace Anyone”
A recurring theme of the speech was that Somaliland was offering the United States an additional strategic option rather than seeking to replace existing partners.
“We do not seek to displace anyone,” the President said, arguing instead that Somaliland could provide Washington with another dependable point of access along the Gulf of Aden.
He emphasized Somaliland’s proximity to the Houthi threat and argued that a stable, effectively governed coastline could support maritime security and the protection of international shipping.
The speech also emphasized Somaliland’s record of avoiding attacks against American personnel, vessels and aircraft, portraying that record as evidence of its reliability as a potential U.S. security partner.
Recognition as a Gateway, Not Just a Symbol
President Irro ultimately framed recognition as a practical instrument rather than a ceremonial achievement.
For Somaliland, he argued, international recognition would create access to development finance, international trade and formal security cooperation currently constrained by its unrecognized status.
“Recognition will open that channel,” he said, linking diplomatic recognition directly to investment, finance, trade and formalized counterterrorism cooperation.
The address therefore sought to shift the debate over Somaliland’s recognition from one centered primarily on history and diplomatic status toward one focused on strategic interests.
Its central proposition was straightforward: Somaliland believes its democratic institutions, geographic position, port infrastructure and willingness to cooperate with the West make it a potentially valuable partner for Washington at a time when maritime security and geopolitical competition are increasingly intertwined.
“Look at the map, and the geography is the witness,” the speaker concluded.