Monday April 14, 2025
FILE - Foreign Minister Abdirahman Yusuf Bakaal
Hargeisa (HOL) — Somaliland officials say the United States is rethinking its longstanding "One Somalia" policy, citing growing U.S. interest in direct engagement with the self-declared republic as Washington seeks to counter rising security threats and geopolitical competition in the Horn of Africa.
Foreign Minister Abdirahman Yusuf Bakaal said Somaliland has reached a level of political maturity and stability that can no longer be overlooked, arguing that the shift in Washington's approach is driven by strategic realities on the ground.
"The United States has grown disillusioned with its long-held 'One Somalia' policy. They've realized it no longer aligns with regional dynamics," Bakaal told reporters. "Somaliland has become a peaceful, democratic entity that the world cannot ignore."
He added that Somaliland's geographic location—near key global shipping routes in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea—has attracted international interest, especially amid rising insecurity in maritime trade corridors.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not received international recognition. It has operated with its own government, military, and currency for more than three decades.
A key factor drawing U.S. attention is the port city of Berbera, home to a Cold War-era airbase and a port recently upgraded by the United Arab Emirates. Located just 260 kilometres from Yemen, Berbera offers a potential logistical hub for U.S. operations in East Africa.
Somaliland has reportedly offered Washington strategic access to Berbera as part of its diplomatic outreach. Foreign Minister Bakaal said the Somali federal government's competing offer of port access—including facilities under Somaliland's jurisdiction—was not credible.
"The federal government does not control the ports it claims to offer," he said. "It cannot even fully guarantee the security of Mogadishu."
His remarks came in response to a leaked letter dated March 16, in which Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud proposed granting the U.S. "exclusive operational control" over several key military and maritime facilities, including Berbera and Bosaso. The Somali Foreign Ministry confirmed the letter's authenticity but declined to say whether it had been formally delivered.
It also follows comments made by Somali Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Mohamed Omar, known as Ali Balcad, who told TRT World's "One on One" program that the Somali government had offered the U.S. access to three ports, including Berbera. The move is part of Mogadishu's push to "get close to the US."
Somaliland has recently focused its diplomatic campaign on Washington. Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Cirro has described former President Donald Trump's re-election as "the greatest opportunity" for Somaliland to gain formal recognition. In a recent interview with The New York Times, Cirro said Trump's business-minded approach and skepticism of traditional foreign policy could make him more receptive to Somaliland's offer of military basing rights in exchange for diplomatic recognition.
Trump-aligned groups, including those behind Project 2025—his policy blueprint—have also pushed for a break from the "One Somalia" doctrine. They argue that the current policy benefits adversarial powers like China and limits U.S. flexibility in the region.
Somaliland has actively positioned itself as a Western-aligned partner by refusing ties with China and maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan since 2020. Analysts say this makes Hargeisa an attractive counterweight to both Chinese and Turkish influence in Somalia, where Ankara maintains a large military base and Beijing has deepened economic ties.
In early April, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau signalled a potential shift when he publicly acknowledged reviewing U.S. policy on Somaliland. In a response posted on X (formerly Twitter), Landau wrote, "I have been looking into this situation very closely," responding to a user urging the U.S. to cut aid to Somalia and support Somaliland.
Somaliland's Foreign Ministry recently confirmed that a high-level delegation will visit Washington in May, followed by a trip by President Cirro in July. The diplomatic campaign is focused on Republican lawmakers and former Trump officials who have supported Somaliland's recognition efforts in the past.