Hargeisa, Somaliland – Ismail Ahmed, the Somaliland-born founder of WorldRemit (now Zepz) and a prominent fintech entrepreneur, has penned a powerful open letter to the U.S. President Donald J. Trump, urging him to push for U.S. recognition of Somaliland’s independence in exchange for exclusive military access to the Port of Berbera—a move he calls a “low-cost, high-value win” against China’s expansion in the Horn of Africa.
Ahmed, a former UN whistleblower who exposed corruption in Somalia’s aid programs, framed the appeal as a historic opportunity for the U.S. to secure a strategic foothold on the Red Sea while rewarding Somaliland’s three decades of self-made democracy and stability.
“This Is Your Roosevelt Moment on the Red Sea”
In his letter, Ahmed drew parallels to President Theodore Roosevelt’s recognition of Panama in 1903 to secure the Panama Canal, calling on Trump to “seize this historic moment” and “redraw the map in America’s favor.”
“For the cost-free act of recognizing our nation, the United States would gain a loyal partner and prime strategic real estate along the Red Sea—no costly wars, no nation-building required,” Ahmed wrote. “We Somalilanders built our country from scratch without U.S. troops or aid. Meanwhile, Washington has poured over $50 billion into Somalia with little to show but corruption and failure.”
Exclusive U.S. Access to Berbera: A Counter to China
Ahmed’s proposal centers on granting the U.S. exclusive military rights to Berbera’s deep-water port and its 4,140-meter runway—one of the longest in Africa, capable of hosting U.S. bombers and cargo planes.
“Unlike some hosts, Somaliland welcomes a permanent U.S. presence with open arms,” he emphasized. “No convoluted leases, no political tightropes—just a guaranteed safe harbor for American power.”
He also framed the move as a direct counter to China, which established its first overseas military base in Djibouti in 2017. “Recognizing Somaliland would block China’s regional ambitions and roll back their gains,” Ahmed argued, noting Somaliland’s pro-Western alignment, including its diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
Somalia’s $50B Failure vs. Somaliland’s Success
Ahmed, who was fired from the UN for exposing Somalia’s aid corruption, contrasted Somaliland’s self-governance with Somalia’s dysfunction:
“Al-Shabaab taxes citizens more effectively than Mogadishu. After $50 billion in aid, Somalia remains a fragile state sustained only by foreign money. Tying Somaliland to Somalia doesn’t fix Somalia—it perpetuates failure.”
Legal & Historical Justification
Ahmed dismissed concerns about “territorial integrity,” pointing out that Somaliland was an independent state in 1960 before briefly uniting with Somalia—a union that collapsed in 1991.
“You cannot ‘break up’ a country that has already been broken for 30 years,” he wrote. “Recognizing Somaliland simply restores colonial-era borders—the same principle the African Union upholds.”
A Moral Imperative
Beyond geopolitics, Ahmed framed recognition as a moral duty, stating, “This movement has transcended politics—it’s about championing a people unjustly isolated for too long. Somaliland is doing everything Washington asks of an ally. What we lack is official status.”
A Call to Trump’s Legacy
Ahmed closed with an appeal to Trump’s deal-making instincts, noting, “You built your career turning long shots into victories. This is your chance to do it again—recognize an opportunity where others saw none, counter China, and cement your legacy as a bold leader.”
Growing Momentum for Recognition
Ahmed’s letter follows Senator Ted Cruz’s August 14 call for U.S. recognition of Somaliland, signaling rising bipartisan support. With Taiwan’s Representative Office already operating in Hargeisa, Somaliland’s diplomatic push is gaining global traction.
As Ahmed put it, “The Horn of Africa is ready for bold American leadership—and so is your place in history.”
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Read the full open letter [below].
Open Letter to President Donald J. Trump: Your Roosevelt Moment on the Red Sea
Dear President Trump,
I am Ismail Ahmed, a Somaliland-born former UN official who exposed corruption in Somalia’s aid programs and founded WorldRemit (now Zepz), a global fintech leader.
I write to join the growing calls for the United States to recognize Somaliland’s independence in exchange for exclusive, long-term access to Berbera’s military base and adjacent airfield, a strategic arrangement that would advance American interests and regional stability.
A Low-Cost, High-Return Deal for America
Somaliland, a pro-American democracy in the Horn of Africa, is offering Washington an extraordinary bargain. For the cost-free act of recognizing our nation, the United States would gain a loyal partner and prime strategic real estate along the Red Sea — no costly wars, no nation-building required. We Somalilanders built our country from scratch without U.S. troops or aid. Meanwhile, Washington and the international community have poured more than $50 billion into Somalia with little to show for it. (In one audit, 96% of donor funds to Somalia’s government simply vanished into corruption.) By contrast, Somaliland has achieved peace, stability, and democracy on its own. We seek no charity — only a straightforward, mutually beneficial transaction: recognition in exchange for strategic advantage.
Consider the stark contrast. Decades of American aid — and even military sacrifice —have yielded little more than a fragile government beset by corruption and terrorism. I saw this firsthand when well-intentioned funds vanished into fraud and graft. For exposing it, I was fired — later vindicated by the UN Ethics Committee after years of persistence. I used my compensation to found WorldRemit, now serving millions of customers worldwide — proof that Somaliland’s tradition of self-reliance and integrity can deliver global success. Without U.S. assistance, Somaliland has built a functioning state that meets every criterion of nationhood. Recognizing this proven success would replace a three-decade strategic failure with a clear American win at virtually no cost.
Let’s also be clear how we arrived at this crossroads. In 2013, Washington (led by then-Secretary Hillary Clinton) formally recognized Somalia’s government effectively rewarding chaos and committing America to an expensive losing bet. Meanwhile Somaliland consistently demonstrated peace, democracy, and a steadfast pro-American orientation. Now is your chance to correct that historical mistake, restore America’s position of strength in the region, and show that you support results over rhetoric, backing winners instead of perpetuating failure.
Exclusive Access to Berbera—America’s Gateway on the Red Sea
Somaliland stands ready to grant the United States exclusive rights to establish and operate a military base at the Port of Berbera and its adjacent airfield. No other global power — China included — will have military access to these facilities if you accept our deal. Berbera is a newly expanded deep-water port on the Gulf of Aden, directly adjacent to the Bab-el-Mandeb chokepoint, one of the world’s busiest and most strategic maritime corridors.
As for Berbera’s airfield: our —4,140-meter runway—among the longest in Africa—can host the largest American cargo planes and bombers. And unlike some hosts, Somaliland welcomes a permanent U.S. presence with open arms. There would be no convoluted leases or political tightropes to walk. Berbera would be a guaranteed safe harbor for American military and commercial activities, secured by a grateful partner who genuinely wants you there.
Outmaneuvering China in Africa
You have often warned about China’s ambitions. Here is a chance to beat China at its own game decisively and on your terms. China’s first overseas military base opened in Djibouti in 2017, on the same Red Sea artery near the Bab-el-Mandeb, a critical chokepoint for global oil and shipping. Recognizing Somaliland would be a strategic masterstroke in this contest: it blocks China’s regional designs and rolls back their gains. Somaliland’s leadership has proven its alignment with American allies—we even welcomed a Taiwanese representative office in our capital despite Chinese threats. That’s the kind of courage and clarity Washington should reward.
As Senator Ted Cruz emphasized in his August 14, 2025, letter urging U.S. recognition of Somaliland, the nation has become an indispensable security and diplomatic partner, advancing American national interests not only in the Horn of Africa but across a wider strategic arena. In short, Somaliland is doing everything Washington could ask of an ally. What we lack is a state’s official status to fully cooperate. By heeding this call, you would bolster an already robust partnership and deal a blow to Beijing’s efforts to isolate us.
Somalia’s $50 Billion Failure vs. Somaliland’s Self-Made Success
Your administration has always prioritized ending wasteful spending and cutting losses on bad deals. Somalia epitomizes a bad deal. The United States and others have invested over $50 billion there, yet Al-Shabaab terrorists still control large swaths of territory — and even tax citizens more effectively than the Somali government. Mogadishu’s leaders often prefer hiring lobbyists in Washington over paying their own soldiers a living wage.
After decades of effort, Somalia remains a fragile “government” riddled with corruption and sustained only by foreign aid. I know because I witnessed that corruption firsthand. It’s why I blew the whistle on the UN’s Somalia programs in 2007, after seeing aid intended to rebuild the country siphoned away. Keeping Somaliland tied to Somalia’s dysfunction only ensures this cycle of failure continues.
Tying Somaliland to Somalia doesn’t “fix” Somalia — it maintains the legal fiction that enables fraud and corruption, benefiting only those with vested interests. Instead, investing in Somaliland — diplomatically and strategically — allows the U.S. to pivot toward a proven success. It ensures that U.S. taxpayer dollars and diplomacy yield tangible results and real allies, rather than disappearing into a black hole.
Legal Reality: History and Precedent Favor Recognition
One reason past U.S. administrations hesitated on Somaliland was an overcautious adherence to Somalia’s supposed “territorial integrity.” Let’s set the record straight: Somaliland was the first Somali territory to gain independence in 1960 and enjoyed international recognition at that time. Days later, it voluntarily entered a union with Somalia — a union never ratified, and which collapsed in 1991 when Somaliland reclaimed its independence.
For more than 30 years since, Somalia has not governed Somaliland for a single day. You cannot “break up” a country that has already been broken apart for decades. Recognizing Somaliland’s sovereignty would not violate African borders; on the contrary, it would uphold the colonial-era boundaries that defined Somaliland and Somalia as separate, independent states. This would simply restore borders long recognized by the African Union, consistent with the principle of respecting colonial-era boundaries.
Your Panama Canal Moment
A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt made a bold decision that reshaped the world. When Colombia’s intransigence threatened U.S. strategic interests in building the Panama Canal, Roosevelt recognized Panama’s independence and secured the rights to build the canal — a masterstroke that cemented America’s maritime supremacy and defined his legacy.
The parallels today are unmistakable. In 1903, Roosevelt seized his Panama Canal moment. In 2025, this is yours. Somalia is today’s Colombia, claiming sovereignty over a region it neither controls nor can govern. Somaliland is the Panama of this story — a willing partner ready to strike a historic deal. And Berbera is the 21st-century equivalent of the Canal Zone, positioned to anchor U.S. power along one of the world’s most critical waterways.
Seize the Moment
You built your career turning long-shots into successes. You built your career turning long shots into decisive victories. Somaliland is your chance to do it again — a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redraw the world map in America’s favor, counter China, and cement your legacy as a bold leader. Your White House predecessors played it safe on Somalia and achieved little. Break that cycle. Seize this historic moment. Be the President who recognized an opportunity where others saw none, acted decisively, and made America safer and stronger at virtually no cost.
The Horn of Africa is ready for bold American leadership — and so is your place in history.
Sincerely,
Ismail Ahmed
