President-elect Donald Trump’s administration is expected to consider formally recognizing Somaliland’s independence, a former UK defense secretary indicated, following successful elections in the self-declared republic on Tuesday.
Former MP Sir Gavin Williamson, a leading supporter of Somaliland within the Conservative Party, expressed confidence that Trump’s new administration would address the issue, following discussions with members of Trump’s foreign policy team. “It will probably all take a little longer than we hope,” he added.
Somaliland, a former British protectorate in the Horn of Africa near the Gulf of Aden, declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following years of civil war. Though unrecognized internationally, Williamson and others often view the de facto state as a rare example of stability and democracy in a turbulent region.
Tuesday’s elections, lauded as free and fair despite delays, saw opposition leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi win 53% of the vote, defeating incumbent Muse Bihi Abdi.
Williamson pointed to the peaceful transfer of power as evidence for a policy change, suggesting that Trump was prepared to diverge from Obama and Biden’s support of Somalia’s claim prior to losing reelection in 2020.
“One of Trump’s last orders as president was to withdraw troops from Somalia, but then Biden countermanded that order. There is nothing Trump dislikes more than being overruled, so I used that to push the argument,” Williamson explained, noting that recognition could strengthen Western strategic access to Somaliland’s Berbera port.
Somaliland and Ethiopia
Earlier this year, Somaliland and Ethiopia signed an agreement granting Ethiopia access to the Berbera port, sparking ire in Mogadishu, which considers Somaliland an integral part of Somalia.