In an impassioned address at a Virginia GOP gala, Somaliland advocate Anab Mohamoud Ali Riyorac urged the United States to abandon its “one Somalia” policy and recognize Somaliland as an independent democracy, framing the move as both a moral imperative and a strategic necessity against China’s growing influence in Africa.
Loudoun County, Va. — Against the backdrop of chandeliers and patriotic banners at the Hilton’s Grand Ballroom, the Loudoun County Republican Committee hosted its 3rd Annual Patriot Ball on Saturday evening [September 20]. The black-tie affair, billed as a celebration of American values, also became an unlikely stage for a call to reshape U.S. policy in the Horn of Africa.
Anab Mohamoud Ali Riyorac, a longtime advocate for Somaliland and co-founder of the Somaliland Strategic Advocacy Group (SL-SAG), delivered one of the evening’s most impassioned speeches. Standing before an audience of party activists, donors, and elected officials, Ali argued that the United States should move swiftly to recognize Somaliland — an independent republic in the Horn of Africa that has operated separately from Somalia since 1991 but remains diplomatically unrecognized.
“Somaliland is not Somalia,” Ali said, drawing applause. “It has built a democracy like no other in Africa — one person, one vote, peaceful transfers of power, and the rule of law. It has fulfilled all the requirements of statehood under the Montevideo Convention. What Somaliland needs now is recognition.”
A local gala with global undertones
The Patriot Ball was hosted by Loudoun GOP chair Scott Pio and headlined by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), both known for their combative defense of conservative causes in Washington. But Ali’s remarks shifted the evening’s focus outward — toward the Red Sea chokepoints, Chinese influence in Africa, and a long-standing policy dilemma in Washington.
Abdirisak Jama, vice chairman of SL-SAG, reinforced the message with a presentation highlighting grassroots advocacy to strengthen U.S.-Somaliland ties. The group has pushed lawmakers to back legislation recognizing Somaliland as sovereign, positioning the territory as both a democratic success story and a bulwark against authoritarian influence in East Africa.
Historical roots, present urgency
Ali sketched Somaliland’s history: its brief independence from Britain in 1960, its troubled merger with Italian Somaliland, and the years of violence under Dictator Mohamed Siad Barre before restoring independence in 1991. In her telling, Somaliland emerged from that turmoil as a rare African democracy — one with its own currency, security forces, and multiparty elections.
She tied that history to U.S. strategic interests, warning against ceding influence in the Horn of Africa to China. “America must stop China from invading Africa — and especially from Somaliland,” she said, pointing to Somaliland’s location along the Gulf of Aden and near the Bab el-Mandeb, one of the world’s most vital shipping routes.
Ali also cited Somaliland’s partnership with Taiwan — a diplomatic outlier that, like Somaliland itself, has provoked Beijing’s ire. “Due to Somaliland’s strategic location, America needs Somaliland,” she said.
The policy debate in Washington
Ali’s appeal echoed a legislative push already underway on Capitol Hill. In June, Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) introduced H.R. 3992, the Republic of Somaliland Independence Act, which would formally recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state. The measure has attracted support from several Republicans, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), who has urged the Trump administration to take the lead on recognition.
Proponents of the bill argue that recognition would cement ties with a democratic partner while reducing reliance on Djibouti, where the U.S. maintains a major military base but faces growing Chinese competition. Critics warn that such a move could destabilize relations with Somalia and complicate U.S. diplomacy in the region.
“Justice for the people of Somaliland”
Ali closed her remarks with a message that blended justice with strategy. Recognition, she argued, would “not only deliver justice for the people of Somaliland who have suffered for many years, but also serve America’s best interest.”
Her words were met with a standing ovation, underscoring how a local GOP fundraiser had transformed, for one evening, into a forum for U.S. foreign policy.
As guests filed out, clutching raffle prizes and programs, conversations lingered on Somaliland’s future — and whether Washington, in the midst of shifting global rivalries, might finally reconsider its decades-old “one Somalia” policy.
