Tuesday August 19, 2025
Hargeisa (HOL) — Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro has reiterated that the self-declared republic will secure international recognition during his tenure, making it the defining goal of his presidency.
Speaking late Monday in Berbera, Irro told elders in the Sahil region that Somaliland’s three-decade quest for recognition would be completed under his leadership. “For more than thirty years, we have been working to sell Somaliland’s case. Much has been achieved before me, but I want to tell the people of Somaliland that I will be the one to finish this task,” he said.
The president said his administration will prioritize national cohesion, peacebuilding, and strengthening the armed forces as the foundations for international legitimacy. He promised that Somalilanders would one day gather again in Berbera as citizens of a recognized country.
His remarks came as calls for U.S. recognition intensified. Senator Ted Cruz, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa, urged former President Donald Trump to formally recognize Somaliland, calling it “a critical security and diplomatic partner” for Washington. In a letter and public statement, Cruz praised Somaliland’s cooperation on counterterrorism and maritime security, arguing recognition would strengthen U.S. national security interests in the Horn of Africa.
Trump recently suggested his administration is “looking into” recognition, remarks that were widely interpreted in Hargeisa as a sign of momentum. U.S. officials, however, have stressed that American policy has not formally shifted, though a review is underway.
Taiwan, which opened a representative office in Hargeisa in 2020, welcomed Cruz’s remarks. The envoy said the five-year-old partnership had developed into a “strategic alliance,” including a maritime security agreement, and had become “a model for the Horn of Africa.”
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following the collapse of Siad Barre’s regime. Since then, it has built its own government institutions, armed forces, and currency, while holding six competitive elections. Last November, voters elected Irro in a transfer of power seen as reinforcing Somaliland’s democratic credentials.
Supporters argue that Somaliland’s relative peace and record of one-person, one-vote elections set it apart from Somalia, where conflict and delayed elections continue to plague the federal government. Lawmakers in Washington and former U.S. diplomats say recognition would allow closer intelligence and security cooperation in a region where China and Iran-backed Houthis are expanding their presence.
Former Assistant Secretary of State Herman Cohen backed Cruz’s appeal, saying recognition would counter Chinese influence and advance American interests.
China, which operates a military base in Djibouti, condemned Cruz’s remarks as interference in Somalia’s internal affairs. Somalia’s federal government has also lobbied against recognition, hiring U.S. law firms and offering Washington port access to dissuade it from recognizing Hargeisa. Mogadishu warned such a move would undermine counterterrorism operations.
Somalia’s federal government condemned Cruz’s letter, warning that recognition would fragment the country and weaken counterterrorism cooperation. In March, Mogadishu reportedly offered U.S. officials access to ports and military bases, including Berbera and Bosaso, in an effort to dissuade Washington from recognizing Somaliland.
Irro dismissed Somalia’s opposition, accusing Mogadishu of jealousy rather than cooperation. He said Somaliland threatens no one and is determined to secure international legitimacy.
Irro has coupled his recognition push with domestic projects aimed at strengthening governance. During his Berbera tour, he inaugurated a fire station in Sheikh and visited the IGAD Sheikh Technical Veterinary School, where staff highlighted the potential of modern laboratories for food safety, animal health, and agricultural development. Irro pledged government support for education and services as part of efforts to build a state ready for international legitimacy.
“Somaliland has waited for decades,” Irro said. “I will be the one to finish this task.”
