HARGEISA, Somaliland — The president of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland says international recognition of his country is closer than ever, with mounting hopes that U.S. President Donald Trump could lead the way.
In an interview with The Guardian at the presidential palace in Hargeisa, President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi said it is “likely” that Somaliland’s long-standing quest for recognition is finally nearing success.
“Recognition is on the horizon,” said Abdullahi, who took office five months ago. “It’s no longer a question of if, but when—and who will be the first to recognize Somaliland.”
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following the collapse of the central government. However, no country has officially recognized its statehood. Analysts say the United States’ acknowledgment would be a game-changer, potentially altering the geopolitical balance in the Horn of Africa and sparking regional tensions.
According to Somaliland officials, high-level talks are underway with Washington. Abdullahi revealed that senior U.S. military officials, including the top officer for the Horn of Africa, have recently visited Hargeisa to assess the strategic port of Berbera. Another American delegation is expected to evaluate the site soon.
Berbera, located on the Gulf of Aden, has drawn increasing interest amid U.S. concerns over China’s growing influence in neighboring Djibouti, where Washington operates its only permanent military base in Africa, Camp Lemonnier.
A controversial Trump-era policy blueprint, Project 2025, reportedly calls for recognizing Somaliland as a strategic hedge against the U.S.’s weakening position in Djibouti.
“We are a partner in security, in counterterrorism, and in ensuring safe maritime routes for global trade,” Abdullahi said, noting that the U.S. ambassador to Somalia has visited him three times in recent months.
The Trump administration remains divided over the future of the long-standing “One Somalia” policy, which regards Somaliland as part of a unified Somali state. Recent territorial gains by al-Shabaab militants and the fragile state of Somalia’s central government have prompted some U.S. officials to consider a policy reset.
“There will come a point soon when the U.S. and other international actors will have to recalibrate their approach to Somalia,” Abdullahi said.
Officially, the US state department continues to assert that it “recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Somalia. A statement added that it was “not in discussions” with Somaliland to recognise it as a state.
Prominent international voices are also rallying behind Somaliland. Former UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, a vocal supporter of the region’s independence, said U.S. officials had recently indicated that recognition is within reach.
“They’ve already started shifting away from the one Somalia policy,” Williamson told The Guardian. “I believe recognition will come before 2028—possibly within the next year.”
The United Arab Emirates, a close U.S. ally, has invested more than $442 million in Berbera’s modernization and road infrastructure linking the port to Ethiopia.
Addis Ababa, which has long sought access to the sea, reportedly agreed to recognize Somaliland in exchange for port rights—a deal that sparked a sharp backlash from Somalia and Egypt, already at odds over Ethiopia’s Nile dam project.
Despite its population of around five million, regular democratic elections, and a relatively stable government, Somaliland remains unrecognized by any UN member state. But Abdullahi insists that change is imminent.