Somaliland’s ports authority chairman will join Donald Trump Jr., global investors and political figures at a closed-door economic summit in Zurich, months after President Irro met Eric Trump and Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Davos
ZURICH — The Republic of Somaliland is continuing its push into high-level international economic and geopolitical circles as senior Somaliland officials prepare to participate in an exclusive global summit in Zurich alongside Donald Trump Jr., major investors and influential political figures.
The inaugural Global Economic Roundtable, scheduled for June 4, will bring together a select group of leaders from business, finance and politics for private discussions focused on geopolitical influence, capital flows, energy security and long-term economic strategy.
The gathering is being organized by Davos Lodge, a Switzerland-based organization known for convening elite policy and investment forums connected to global business networks.
Among the announced participants is Mohamed Marshall, chairman of Somaliland’s Ports and Duty-Free Zone Authority, whose inclusion analysts say highlights Somaliland’s growing strategic relevance in global trade and maritime security discussions.
Marshall is expected to participate alongside Trump Jr., executive vice president of the Trump Organization and eldest son of U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as prominent financial and corporate figures including John Koudounis of Calamos Investments, Anil Mohta of DP World, and Felippe Velloso from Bloomberg.
The Zurich event comes only months after Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro attended the annual World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, where he held meetings with Eric Trump and Isaac Herzog.
Those engagements fueled speculation among regional observers that Somaliland is seeking to strengthen relationships with influential Western and Middle Eastern political and business networks as it expands its international diplomatic outreach.
“Somaliland is clearly attempting to reposition itself from a peripheral regional actor into a strategic commercial and geopolitical partner,” said a Horn of Africa analyst based in Nairobi. “Its leadership understands that access to elite economic forums increasingly shapes diplomatic visibility and long-term investment relationships.”
Somaliland’s growing presence at international gatherings reflects broader geopolitical shifts centered on the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden corridor.
Situated near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Somaliland occupies territory adjacent to one of the world’s most important maritime trade chokepoints linking Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The strategic importance of the Berbera corridor has grown significantly as Gulf powers, Western governments and global logistics companies compete for influence across the Horn of Africa.
Analysts say Somaliland’s infrastructure ambitions — particularly around Berbera port — have become increasingly tied to discussions surrounding supply-chain diversification, maritime security and regional energy routes.
“Ports, logistics and trade corridors are now geopolitical assets,” said a European maritime investment consultant. “Somaliland’s value lies not only in geography but in its relative stability compared with surrounding regions.”
The participation of DP World executives and Somaliland port leadership at the Zurich summit underscores the importance of the Berbera project within wider global trade calculations.
DP World has invested heavily in the modernization and expansion of Berbera port in recent years, transforming it into one of the Horn of Africa’s most strategically watched infrastructure hubs.
The Zurich roundtable itself is designed as a private, invitation-only forum. Organizers say discussions will take place behind closed doors during an afternoon session followed by an exclusive dinner intended to facilitate direct exchanges among participants.
Such forums have become increasingly influential as geopolitical fragmentation, economic uncertainty and strategic competition reshape international investment priorities.
While no formal agreements are expected to emerge publicly from the event, analysts say Somaliland’s repeated appearance within high-level global forums signals a broader effort to integrate itself into international economic and diplomatic networks despite lacking formal recognition.
“Recognition today is not driven only through traditional diplomacy,” said the Nairobi-based analyst. “It is increasingly shaped by trade, infrastructure, strategic partnerships and access to influential global networks.”
For Somaliland, participation in Zurich may therefore represent more than symbolic visibility. It reflects a long-term strategy to leverage geography, stability and economic potential to deepen engagement with global power centers increasingly focused on the future of trade routes, investment corridors and geopolitical influence.
