President Donald Trump said he is not prepared to recognize Somaliland’s status as an independent and sovereign state after Israel established diplomatic relations with the breakaway republic in Somalia.
When asked by the New York Post about recognizing Somaliland on Friday, Trump appeared to say “not at this time” before he simply changed his answer to “no.” He also raised a point that Somaliland is not widely known.
Similar in name to Somalia, the Republic of Somaliland declared independence from the East African nation in 1991 and established a de facto government after fighting in a civil war. Somaliland was previously under British control when it gained independence for the first time in 1960.
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For over 30 years, the predominantly Muslim state has lacked international recognition. That changed on Friday when Israel became the first member of the United Nations to recognize Somaliland.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa’ar together signed the historic agreement with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdallah. The agreement paves the way for the appointment of ambassadors and the creation of embassies in both states. Additionally, both parties will collaborate in the fields of agriculture, health, technology, and economy.
Netanyahu announced the joint, mutual declaration of Somaliland’s independence and sovereignty was made in the “spirit of the Abraham Accords.” The statement was apt given Somaliland’s desire to join the Abraham Accords, the Trump-brokered agreement that normalized relations between Israel and four Arab nations in 2020.
Netanyahu said he will communicate this desire to Trump when the two world leaders meet at Mar-a-Lago on Monday.
Trump dismissed the topic when he said his meeting with Netanyahu will prioritize the next phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza. However, he said his administration will review a potential decision to recognize Somaliland.
“Everything is under study,” he said. “We’ll study it. I study a lot of things and always make great decisions, and they turn out to be correct.”
The president took a step back from his more optimistic statement on Somaliland in August.
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“We’re looking into that right now. Good question, actually,” he said at the time. “And another complex one, as you know. But we’re working on that right now — Somaliland.”
His latest response shows he is not in lockstep with Congress on the issue. Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), along with five other Republicans, is sponsoring legislation to recognize Somaliland as a “separate, independent country.”
Arguments in favor of recognition rest on Somaliland’s three-decade-plus record as a democratic state that regularly elects leaders. Also, Somaliland’s location on the Gulf of Aden is of strategic importance to the United States and its mission in combating Somali pirates.
When asked by the New York Post about Somaliland’s offer of a port on the key body of water, Trump shrugged it off. “Big deal,” he said.
Somaliland has allies in the United Kingdom, Ethiopia, and Taiwan. But Somalia stands in strong opposition to its independence, claiming Israel’s recognition of Somaliland directly undermines Somalia’s autonomy and risks destabilizing the Horn of Africa region.
“Somalia makes clear that it will not permit the establishment of any foreign military bases or arrangements on its territory that would draw Somalia into proxy conflicts or import regional and international hostilities into this region,” the Somali prime minister’s office said in a statement.
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The 55-member African Union also rejected Israel’s decision, maintaining the Republic of Somaliland “remains an integral part” of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
Meanwhile, the European Union expressed support for Somaliland to resolve “long-standing differences” with Somalia.