The Berbera Breakthrough: Why The U.S. Should Move Toward Recognizing Somaliland

The geopolitical landscape of the Horn of Africa shifted significantly this week as the United States signaled a move toward the formal recognition of Somaliland, which holds a key strategic location in an increasingly dangerous corner of the globe.

The rationale for the United States to recognize Somaliland and elevate it to a primary ally rests on three pillars: strategic necessity, moral clarity, and the rewarding of proven governance.

A high-level U.S. military and diplomatic mission met with the Somaliland’s in its capital city of Hargeisa before conducting a strategic tour of the Berbera port and air base alongside Somaliland’s military leadership. These meetings focused on finalizing security partnership agreements, a step interpreted as the precursor to full U.S. diplomatic recognition.

???? BREAKING: The President of the Republic of Somaliland hosted ????????U.S. Africa Command General Dagvin Anderson and U.S. Deputy Ambassador Justin Davis in Hargeisa for high-level talks on Horn of Africa and Red Sea security. The delegation then flew with Somaliland officials,… pic.twitter.com/ldh3EkMXsc

— REPUBLIC OF SOMALILAND (@RepOfSomaliland) January 1, 2026

As the Red Sea corridor becomes increasingly contested by Houthi militants and Iranian influence, Somaliland’s Berbera port offers a vital “safe zone” for global trade. For the U.S. military, Somaliland provides a crucial hedge against the over-reliance on Djibouti, which now hosts a Chinese military base.

Unlike the federal government in Mogadishu, which has struggled for decades to contain the al Shabaab terrorist group despite billions in American aid, Somaliland has successfully secured its 500-mile coastline and kept extremist groups at bay through indigenous stability.

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The case for recognition is a pragmatic application of the principle of “rewarding success rather than subsidizing failure.”

While Somalia has absorbed more than $10 billion in aid—often lost to corruption and warlord networks—Somaliland has built a functioning, self-reliant state. It meets all criteria of the Montevideo Convention’s definition of a state: a defined territory, a stable population, and an effective government that provides security and conducts peaceful, democratic elections. Recognition allows the United States to formalize defense cooperation with a partner that already behaves like an ally, rather than maintaining the “diplomatic fiction” that Mogadishu governs the territory.

Somaliland has demonstrated its alignment with Western interests by partnering with Taiwan and receiving formal recognition from Israel in late 2025.

Somaliland National Army Captain:????️

“To the people and leadership of Israel: Thank you for standing on the right side of history. Thank you for recognizing the potential and success that many who once called themselves our brothers and sisters chose to ignore.
Thank you for… pic.twitter.com/tTBWOvjKL8

— REPUBLIC OF SOMALILAND (@RepOfSomaliland) January 1, 2026

As one social media pundit pointed out, U.S. recognition would also serve as a “useful diagnostic” against domestic political interests—such as those of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) —who favor the Mogadishu-led status quo.

By recognizing Somaliland, the United States shifts its policy toward reality, signaling that sovereignty is earned through responsibility and democratic consent. This move secures a reliable partner at a global chokepoint, while offering a model of success for the rest of the region.