Somalia, Somaliland and Washington: US Senator’s Call Tests Policy

A diplomatic storm has erupted between Somalia and the United States after Senator Ted Cruz called on Washington to recognise Somaliland, challenging America’s long-standing support for Somalia’s territorial integrity and reopening one of the Horn of Africa’s most sensitive disputes.

Cruz, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Africa panel, argued that formal recognition of Somaliland would serve U.S. security interests by rewarding a relatively stable, democratic partner on the Gulf of Aden, where global shipping routes are under threat from Red Sea turmoil.

Mogadishu reacted swiftly, condemning the appeal as an affront to its sovereignty and a potential setback to joint counter-terrorism operations against al-Shabaab. Somali officials warned that any shift in U.S. policy could embolden secessionist movements and derail fragile federal state-building efforts.

Washington has sought to tamp down the row, with diplomats insisting there is “no change” to America’s “One Somalia” policy. But Cruz’s intervention has reignited debate in Washington, where Somaliland has been lobbying U.S. lawmakers, think-tanks and defence officials for greater recognition of its strategic role.

A former British protectorate, Somaliland briefly gained independence in 1960 before uniting with Italian Somaliland to form the Somali Republic. It declared independence in 1991 after Somalia’s collapse into civil war and has since run a separate government in Hargeisa, maintaining relative peace, holding competitive elections and building its own institutions.

Although no country has formally recognised it, Somaliland has built international partnerships. A port deal with Dubai’s DP World has transformed Berbera into a key trade hub, with Ethiopia holding a minority stake. Its airfield and coastline across from Yemen are seen as strategically vital for counter-piracy patrols and maritime security.

For some in Washington, Somaliland’s stability contrasts sharply with Somalia’s decades of turmoil, where a weak central government depends heavily on international support to hold off Islamist militants.

Proponents of recognition argue closer ties with Hargeisa could provide the U.S. with reliable access to ports and airfields at a time of intensifying competition with China and Gulf powers.

Critics, however, caution that recognition could destabilise Somalia and undermine years of U.S. investment in Mogadishu’s fragile institutions. Former U.S. envoys have warned that a unilateral shift risks alienating African Union partners, who have consistently backed Somalia’s unity.

The debate comes as the Horn of Africa faces overlapping crises — conflict in Ethiopia, Red Sea security threats, and the effects of climate shocks. With Djibouti hosting U.S., Chinese and French military bases, Somaliland’s appeal lies in its untapped strategic value.

For Mogadishu, however, recognition of Somaliland is a red line. Somali officials say it would amount to the dismemberment of their country and could unravel cooperation with U.S. forces fighting al-Shabaab.

Cruz’s letter to the White House has been welcomed by Somaliland leaders and diaspora groups, who see it as fresh momentum in their decades-long campaign.

But for now, Washington’s position remains unchanged, leaving the territory in diplomatic limbo while the geopolitical stakes around it grow sharper.

gandae@businessdayafrica.org