President Donald Trump has said he is not prepared to recognize Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, despite Israel recently establishing diplomatic relations with the breakaway region of Somalia.
Asked by the New York Post on Friday whether the United States would recognize Somaliland, Trump initially responded, “not at this time,” before answering simply, “no.” He also suggested that Somaliland is not widely known.
The Republic of Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 after years of civil war. The territory, which was formerly under British control, had briefly gained independence in 1960 before uniting with Somalia later that year. Since breaking away more than three decades ago, Somaliland has maintained a de facto government but has lacked formal international recognition.
That changed on Friday when Israel became the first United Nations member state to recognize Somaliland. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa’ar signed an agreement with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdallah, opening the door to the exchange of ambassadors and the establishment of embassies. The agreement also outlines cooperation in agriculture, health, technology, and economic development.
Netanyahu said the declaration of Somaliland’s independence and sovereignty was made in the “spirit of the Abraham Accords,” referring to the U.S.-brokered agreements under Trump that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states in 2020. Somaliland has expressed interest in joining the accords, and Netanyahu said he would raise the issue with Trump when they meet at Mar-a-Lago on Monday.
Trump said the meeting would focus primarily on the next phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza, but added that his administration would review the issue of recognizing Somaliland. “Everything is under study,” he said. “We’ll study it.”
His comments mark a shift from a more open stance he expressed in August, when he said his administration was looking into the matter.
Trump’s latest remarks also place him at odds with some members of Congress. Representative Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, along with five other Republicans, has introduced legislation calling for the United States to recognize Somaliland as a separate, independent country.
Supporters of recognition point to Somaliland’s record of regular elections and its strategic location along the Gulf of Aden, an area important to U.S. efforts to counter piracy. However, Trump dismissed the significance of Somaliland’s offer to grant access to a port on the gulf, responding, “Big deal.”
Somaliland maintains informal ties with countries including the United Kingdom, Ethiopia, and Taiwan. Somalia strongly opposes Somaliland’s independence, arguing that Israel’s recognition undermines Somalia’s sovereignty and could destabilize the Horn of Africa.
In a statement, the Somali prime minister’s office said Somalia would not allow foreign military bases or arrangements that could draw the country into proxy conflicts. The African Union has also rejected Israel’s decision, reaffirming that Somaliland remains part of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
The European Union, meanwhile, has expressed support for efforts by Somaliland and Somalia to resolve their long-standing differences through dialogue.
