Senior US diplomat Justin Davis met Somaliland President Abdirahman Irro in Hargeisa as Washington explores stronger cooperation on security, trade and maritime affairs following a new State Department report
HARGEISA — A senior U.S. diplomat met with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro on Wednesday in one of the highest-level engagements between Hargeisa and Washington in recent years, underscoring growing American interest in the strategically located Horn of Africa territory.
Justin Davis, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu, led an American delegation during an official visit to the Presidential Palace, where discussions centered on regional security, Red Sea maritime security, intelligence cooperation, investment, economic development and democratic governance, according to a statement released by the Somaliland Presidency.
President Irro welcomed the delegation and praised what he described as increasing American attention toward Somaliland, pointing to recent legislative initiatives and policy discussions in Washington aimed at strengthening engagement with the territory.
“Somaliland remains a peaceful, democratic and stable partner that the United States can rely upon in this strategically important region,” the president said, according to the presidency’s statement.
The visit comes just days after the U.S. State Department submitted a report to Congress titled Potential Areas for Improved United States Engagement with Somaliland, outlining opportunities for expanded cooperation in security, trade and regional stability.
The report emphasized Somaliland’s location along the Gulf of Aden near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints linking the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean. U.S. officials identified maritime security, freedom of navigation, economic development and regional stability as key areas for potential collaboration.
According to the Somaliland Presidency, Wednesday’s talks covered a broad agenda, including defense cooperation, intelligence sharing, maritime affairs, trade and investment promotion, infrastructure development, as well as opportunities in the mining and energy sectors.
President Irro also expressed appreciation for what he described as growing political and legislative support for Somaliland within the U.S. Congress and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to building stronger ties with Washington based on shared interests and mutual respect.
Davis, for his part, praised Somaliland’s record of peace, stability and democratic governance and expressed U.S. readiness to deepen cooperation across a range of sectors.
According to the presidency, the American diplomat highlighted Somaliland’s increasing strategic importance in the Horn of Africa, saying that its development achievements and contribution to regional stability could not be overlooked.
The meeting is widely viewed as one of the most significant diplomatic exchanges between Somaliland and the United States since President Irro took office and reflects broader geopolitical shifts as global powers compete for influence around the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa.
Somaliland’s position along the Gulf of Aden has increasingly attracted the attention of international partners seeking reliable regional allies to bolster maritime security, safeguard commercial shipping lanes and encourage economic development.
Interest in Somaliland has also grown within U.S. policy circles. In recent years, members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate have backed initiatives calling for deeper American engagement, citing Somaliland’s democratic institutions, relative stability and strategic location.
Analysts say the latest visit reflects a gradual strengthening of ties between Hargeisa and Washington as both sides explore opportunities for closer cooperation on security, trade and regional stability.
Debate Over Diplomatic Engagement
The visit, however, also sparked debate among some Somaliland advocates, who argued that engagement through the U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu risks undermining Somaliland’s claim to the sovereignty it restored in 1991.
Rashid Garuf, Somaliland’s former envoy to the United States, criticized the arrangement in a post on X.
“This is a message to President Abdirahman Cirro of the Republic of Somaliland and Foreign Minister Abdirahman; if you want the U.S. State Department to take you seriously and consider to engage you differently, stop totally meeting with anyone from U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu,” Garuf wrote. “Let the U.S. State Department negotiate with you on how to engage Somaliland.”
His comments drew a response from Tibor Nagy, the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs and former U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia and Guinea.
“It’s actually a great point!” Nagy wrote on X. “I tried to transfer responsibility for Somaliland from Mogadishu to Addis Ababa when I was Assistant Secretary. Having Embassy Mogadishu cover Hargeisa is rubbing salt into the wound and makes no sense. Somaliland is its own country!”
Another Somaliland political commentator, Khalif Hagog, also criticized the visit’s diplomatic framework.
“I strongly condemn any decision by the Somaliland government to receive ambassadors based in Mogadishu who visit Somaliland in that capacity,” Hagog wrote on X. “By accepting such ambassadors, the government sends a message to the international community that Somaliland is part of Somalia.”
Hagog also criticized the continued presence of international missions involved in Somalia-focused state-building efforts, arguing that such activities weaken Somaliland’s political position and national interests.
The differing reactions highlight the diplomatic sensitivities that continue to surround Somaliland’s international engagement, even as interest from foreign governments and policymakers appears to be increasing.
Somaliland restored its statehood in 1991 and has since maintained its own government, security institutions, currency and democratic system while continuing its pursuit of broader international recognition.
