Now is the Time for the United States to Back Somaliland-Taiwan Ties

[Deeq A.]

In recent months, several international and regional media outlets have reported the incoming Trump Administration’s impending recognition of Somaliland. Somaliland is a country in the Horn of Africa that operates as a de facto sovereign state, but remains unrecognized internationally. Positioned in the strategic Gulf of Aden, it plays a key role in regional trade and security while maintaining both stability and democratic governance. Accordingly, regional analysts and scholars have examined what this could mean for the Horn of Africa region, Middle Eastern powers—and perhaps most importantly of all, for US-China relations. Against the backdrop of major competition between the United States and China, as well as the unpredictability of the new Trump Administration, some experts are calling on Washington to reconsider its relations with Africa. Although the United States seeks to advance its strategic interests, a future strategy that relates to African states should consider and engage with the legitimate political and economic aspirations of African people. Somaliland is no exception.

Somaliland held a democratic presidential election in November 2024 that resulted in the defeat of the incumbent president, and the election of the country’s sixth leader since reclaiming sovereignty from Somalia in 1991. Having successfully concluded a peaceful transfer of power, the timing couldn’t be better for Somaliland. Calls to recognize Somaliland are increasingly gaining in Washington. Somaliland’s new president, Abdirahman Irro, has promised to further boost ties with Taiwan and the United States, while also expanding Somaliland’s diplomatic engagement. Meanwhile, the US government has expressed a keen interest in Somaliland’s strategic location and supports Irro’s administration. The US Ambassador to Somalia Richard Riley, at the inauguration of President Irro, reassured attendees that the United States would closely work with the new administration, adding that “you have many friends in the international community.’’ However, in supporting this new administration, US engagement should also focus on promoting Somaliland-Taiwan relations.

Evaluating Current Ties

China will no doubt be a priority for the Trump Administration. This may be seen by the nomination of “China hawks” to several key positions in the State Department, the National Security Council, and the Department of Defense. A recent op-ed by Mitch McConnell, a senator from Kentucky and the former Republican senate leader, highlights that the second Trump Administration should consider meeting Chinese competition in a more globalist way: by emphasizing the role of allies, and expanding and maintaining partnerships to pre-position US forces and the capacity for power projection—including securing bases, access, and over-flight rights for these purposes.

In July 2020, Taiwan and Somaliland forged official relations, based on “common values and interests.” For Somaliland, this meant headway toward the country’s decades-old quest for recognition and an opportunity to attract economic and foreign investments. The move has prompted China and Somalia, who have respectively claimed sovereignty over those countries, to condemn these diplomatic relations as a violation of “sovereignty and territorial integrity.” However, the White House’s National Security Council, and US government officials, diplomats, and lawmakers have supported these relations ever since. Bashir Goth, Somaliland’s Representative to the United States, has even stated that Somaliland’s relations with Taiwan have improved Somaliland’s standing in Washington. In 2019, the United States Congress and Senate adopted the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act. The Act, which calls upon the US government to protect Taiwan from any coercion from China, encourages support for Taiwan in strengthening its official diplomatic relationships worldwide. According to Goth, Somaliland officials in Washington and Hargeisa have followed that development with great interest and were inspired by the TAIPEI Act

Although the Biden Administration’s willingness to engage with Somaliland was limited through the framework of a “One Somalia” policy, conservative lawmakers in the Congress and the Senate have pushed for deepened engagement with Somaliland based on three major factors: its strategic positioning in the region, its democratic credentials, and its relationship with Taiwan. Republicans’ criticism has been that the Democrats have wasted billions in Somalia to no avail, and that Trump’s withdrawal of US troops from Somalia reflects that sentiment.

A defining feature of former Somaliland President Bihi’s foreign policy was the renewed emphasis placed on Somaliland’s strategic position. This was evident during his visit to Washington in 2022, where he met with Senate and House members—and which resulted in members of Congress introducing several bills calling for the Biden Administration to strengthen diplomatic and security relations with Somaliland. The importance of this relationship has not gone unnoticed by Somaliland officials, nor by Taiwanese diplomats in Somaliland. ‘’Taiwan is the most effective and strongest factor Somaliland has to leverage for better relations with the U.S.,’’ said the Taiwanese Representative to Somaliland. [1] In response, China’s opposition grew stronger, and Chinese officials condemned as a mistake Somaliland’s decision to deal with Taiwan.

[1] Authors’ interview with Taiwan Representative to Somaliland Allen Lou.

Moustafa Ahmad
Moustafa Ahmad is a researcher who writes about the politics and security of Somaliland and the Horn of Africa.

Sacad Muhumed
Sacad Muhumed is a researcher specializing in critical security studies, focusing on governance and security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. He holds an MA from Addis Ababa University and is pursuing a second master’s degree at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.

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