On December 26, 2025, Israel officially recognized Somaliland following years of informal cooperation. Twenty-one Arab, Islamic, and African countries; China; and Russia condemned the move.
I announced today the official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) December 26, 2025
Together with Foreign Minister Sa'ar and the President of the Republic of Somaliland, we signed a joint and mutual declaration.
This declaration is in the spirit of… pic.twitter.com/WlZuN1HB5z
Although not recognized by Somalia or the broader international community, Somaliland has functioned as an independent country since 1991, after a brief period of independence in 1960, with its own elections, currency, and military.
There had been talk throughout 2025 that the Trump administration was considering recognizing Somaliland. President Trump said the following in August 2025:
We’re looking into that right now. Good question, actually. And another complex one, as you know. But we’re working on that right now — Somaliland.
However, according to a New York Post report following Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, President Trump made clear that he was not ready to recognize Somaliland, though he said it was still “under study.”
Formally recognizing Somaliland comes with a number of benefits for Washington. Somaliland is everything that Somalia isn’t. Washington’s “One Somalia” policy, which officially recognizes Somalia, benefits Islamists and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
First, Somaliland would serve as a reliable counterterrorism partner in the Horn of Africa. Even without international recognition and assistance, Hargeisa, Somaliland’s capital, has effectively combatted terrorism, preventing Islamist groups from taking root in the country. Somaliland’s last major terrorist attack was in 2008.
Despite some tensions and distrust, Hargeisa has been able to cultivate a strong relationship with its citizens. This allows Somaliland officials to leverage community networks to facilitate information gathering. Human intelligence is central to Hargeisa’s counterterrorism efforts.
Somalia, on the other hand, is the world’s second most corrupt country. Al-Shabaab and the Islamic State have gained significant footholds in the failed state, with members of the Somali community in Minnesota sending millions in stolen taxpayer money to al-Shabaab. Some high-ranking officials in Mogadishu were previously affiliated with al-Shabaab and other Islamist groups.
Washington has contributed billions in humanitarian and military aid to Somalia over the years, with nothing to show for it. In 2024 alone, the U.S. provided Mogadishu with more than a billion in aid. Somali officials regularly misuse American assistance. The Trump administration recently announced its decision to end all aid to Somalia indefinitely over a scandal regarding food aid.
The 🇺🇸 is deeply concerned by reports that Federal Government of Somalia officials have destroyed a US-funded World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse and illegally seized 76 metric tons of donor-funded food aid for vulnerable Somalis. The Trump Administration has a zero-tolerance… pic.twitter.com/fCDTCBegbt
— USForeignAssist (@USForeignAssist) January 7, 2026
READ MORE: House Republicans Are in 'Get 'Er Done' Mode: It Has Been a (Mostly) Good Thing
Due to security risks, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had to postpone his visit to Somalia, despite strengthening ties between Beijing and Mogadishu.
This leads me to the next point: Recognizing Somaliland would allow America to better project its power in the region to counter Chinese influence.
Somaliland has chosen to align itself with Taiwan rather than China. The two countries opened representative offices in 2020. Taiwan-Somaliland bilateral relations continue to strengthen.
China views Hargeisa’s recognition of Taiwan as a violation of the “One-China” principle. China has attempted to bribe and pressure Somaliland officials to sever ties with Taiwan, to no avail.
Somaliland has also refused to become a member of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Contrast this with Somalia’s deepening relations with Beijing. In 2024, China announced multiple grants to Somalia, including a $1.2 billion infrastructure package and $28 million for Mogadishu’s “immediate needs and priorities.”
In 2025, Beijing trained a number of Somali National Army officers as part of a military exchange program. The CCP plans to train 6,000 African military personnel over three years.
In return for recognition of Somaliland, the U.S. would gain a military base at Berbera, located on the Gulf of Aden at the mouth of the Red Sea. Twelve to 15 percent of global trade and 30 percent of the world’s container traffic passes through the Red Sea. This would allow the U.S., Israel, Somaliland, the United Arab Emirates, and potentially other allies to protect critical trade routes from China and other adversaries.
A U.S. military presence at Berbera would also act as a counterweight to China’s military base in Djibouti. In the past, Chinese forces targeted American troops at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, the U.S.’s only permanent base on the continent, with lasers. Persistent CCP surveillance is also a concern. Djibouti owes nearly half of its $3.4 billion debt to China, giving Beijing significant leverage.
Other benefits that come with recognizing Somaliland include access to rare earth minerals and irritating Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), whose father served as a colonel under Marxist-Leninist Somali dictator Siad Barre. In the late 1980s, Barre carried out a genocide against the Isaaq people, Somaliland’s main clan.
This isn’t to say that Somaliland is without its share of problems. The country remains one of the poorest in the world. Its infrastructure is underdeveloped. And it continues to deal with Somalia-backed insurgents in its eastern borderlands (SSC-Khatumo militants reportedly receive Chinese funding and weapons via Mogadishu).
Despite these challenges, Somaliland has been able to accomplish what Somalia has not. It is a functioning state with great potential. Recognizing Somaliland would boost American security interests in the region. It’s the strategically wise thing to do.
Editor's Note: The mainstream media continues to deflect, gaslight, spin, and lie about President Trump, his administration, and conservatives.
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