Washington (Somalia Today) — The United States has reaffirmed its recognition of Somalia’s sovereignty while outlining possible areas for expanded cooperation with Somaliland in security, diplomacy and trade, according to a State Department report submitted to Congress.
The two-page report says Washington recognises “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia, which includes the region of Somaliland”.
It also says the United States maintains a “positive, constructive relationship” with Somaliland and continues to explore “additional opportunities for engagement” with authorities in Hargeisa.
The report does not signal a move towards recognising Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has sought international recognition for more than three decades.
Somalia rejects Somaliland’s claim to statehood and says the territory remains part of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
The document, titled Potential Areas for Improved United States Engagement with Somaliland, was prepared under the 2026 State Department appropriations law.
It sets out three main areas where Washington sees room for further engagement: security cooperation, diplomatic contact, and trade and investment.
Strategic corridor
The report places security at the centre of possible US cooperation with Somaliland.
It describes the Horn of Africa’s security environment as “complex”, citing violent extremist threats and regional disputes.
Somaliland’s location near Yemen and the Bab al-Mandab Strait positions it as a “potential partner on shared security interests”, the report says, including freedom of commercial and military navigation from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.
The Bab al-Mandab is one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
The report also says Somaliland could potentially assist efforts to monitor and counter extremist groups, particularly “connections between Houthi terrorists and al-Shabaab”.
Al-Shabaab, affiliated with Al-Qaeda, remains the main militant threat to Somalia’s federal government and African Union-backed forces. The State Department describes it in the report as “al-Qa’ida’s largest and wealthiest affiliate”.
US Africa Command, known as AFRICOM, already has contact with Somaliland authorities.
“AFRICOM has regular engagements with Somaliland authorities and is exploring areas for potential cooperation,” the report says.
AFRICOM commander General Dagvin Anderson visited Hargeisa and Berbera in November 2025 as part of a wider East Africa tour. It said the visit to Berbera included a review of the port’s security environment and operational capacity.
The State Department report does not announce any new security agreement, base access or formal partnership. It presents Somaliland as a possible partner in specific areas of shared interest.
Careful engagement
The report says the US Embassy in Mogadishu conducts “regular, periodic visits” to Somaliland to discuss issues of mutual interest.
Those discussions include security cooperation, humanitarian assistance and economic matters.
But the report also makes clear that US engagement with Somaliland remains tied to Washington’s Somalia policy.
It says US government travel to Somaliland is subject to the same security requirements applied to the rest of Somalia. Those requirements include the use of “non-commercial aircraft” and other “resource-intensive security measures”.
Embassy Mogadishu also coordinates with AFRICOM to use US military resources where available, the report says.
Somaliland has sought a more direct relationship with Washington.
In February, Somaliland’s minister of the presidency, Khadar Hussein Abdi, told AFP that Hargeisa was ready to offer the United States access to minerals and military facilities.
“We are willing to give exclusive access to our minerals to the United States,” he said.
“Also, we are open to offering military bases to the United States,” he added.
Somaliland officials have long argued that the territory’s location, ports and relative stability make it a useful partner for Western governments.
The US report does not go that far. It refers to potential engagement and cooperation while reaffirming Washington’s recognition of Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
That distinction is central to the document. The United States is exploring cooperation with Somaliland authorities, but it is not treating Somaliland as a recognised state.
Investment hurdles
The report also identifies trade and investment as possible areas for expanded US engagement.
It says Somaliland authorities have encouraged US investment in minerals and outlined priorities in infrastructure, trade and economic growth.
Somaliland’s ports “represent potential alternatives to other congested regional facilities”, the report says.
It also points to the development of Berbera airport and seaports as potential trade and transport hubs for Somaliland and landlocked Ethiopia.
That development could create opportunities for US investment in infrastructure, exports and other commercial sectors, according to the report.
Berbera has already drawn regional interest. Dubai-based DP World has invested in the port, while Ethiopia has long sought more reliable access to the sea.
In January 2024, Somalia rejected a memorandum of understanding between Ethiopia and Somaliland that would have granted Addis Ababa access to the Red Sea in exchange for possible recognition of Somaliland.
Somalia and Ethiopia later signed the Ankara Declaration in December 2024, pledging to respect each other’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity.
The State Department report also lists obstacles to deeper economic engagement with Somaliland.
It says “regional security concerns and the dispute over Somaliland’s status” create challenges for investment, banking and trade.
It also cites Somaliland’s “refusal to cooperate with national authorities” as a barrier.
That wording is likely to draw attention in Mogadishu, where officials have opposed foreign dealings with Somaliland that bypass the federal government.
For Somalia, the report’s most important line is Washington’s reaffirmation of Somali sovereignty and territorial integrity.
For Somaliland, the report shows that US officials see potential areas for cooperation, especially in security, Berbera, and trade.
The report leaves US recognition policy unchanged, while outlining where practical engagement with Somaliland could expand.
