Rubio urged to meet Somaliland leader as US seeks democratic ally in Horn of Africa

President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro arrived in the United States on an official working visit intended to raise Somaliland's diplomatic standing and draw investment into its natural resources. Although Washington has not yet recognized Somaliland as a sovereign state, the author argues that Secretary of State Marco Rubio should seize the opportunity to meet Irro. The Horn of Africa is portrayed as a key arena of great-power rivalry, with the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait becoming flashpoints due to Houthi activity and nearby Chinese naval facilities.

Somaliland stands out as the region's sole democratic nation, having conducted nine multiparty elections since 2002, while neighboring Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia are described as autocratic or unstable. Strengthening ties with Somaliland could enhance U.S. maritime security, possibly including a naval base, and provide an ideological counterweight to China's authoritarian model. The article concludes that a U.S.-Somaliland alliance would serve both strategic and democratic interests.