Somaliland leader seeks U.S. engagement after Israel's recognition of its sovereignty

Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as “Irro,” reached Washington to lobby for American backing after Israel formally recognized Somaliland’s sovereignty in 2025, marking the first such diplomatic acknowledgment since the self-declared state split from Somalia in 1991. While he was not granted a meeting at the White House or the State Department, his presence in the capital is portrayed as a diplomatic milestone. Abdullahi emphasized Somaliland’s strategic position on the southern Gulf of Aden, opposite Yemen, where Iranian-backed Houthi rebels are active, arguing that the ongoing Iran-related tensions and international trade issues have drawn worldwide focus to the region’s ports. He also cited the establishment of a U.S.-supported military facility in the coastal city of Berbera at the end of 2025, which now serves Emirati and Israeli forces, underscoring the growing security partnership surrounding Somaliland.