The former U.S. Ambassador to Somalia Larry André recently published an article examining the future of relations between the United States and Somaliland, with a focus on how this issue fits into Washington’s broader priorities in the Horn of Africa. The piece highlighted both the challenges of Somaliland’s quest for international recognition and the possible implications for regional stability.
According to the ambassador, formal recognition of Somaliland could trigger new tensions across the region, particularly with neighboring Ethiopia and Kenya, while also complicating the political trajectory of the federal government in Mogadishu. At the same time, he pointed to Somaliland’s record of political stability and security over the past three decades, describing it as a governance model that has drawn increasing international attention.
Rather than recommending outright recognition, the ambassador argued for expanding U.S. engagement with Hargeisa through diplomatic and economic channels. This approach, he suggested, would strike a balance between supporting Somaliland’s local stability and avoiding the creation of new regional fault lines.
The article thus reflects an attempt to chart a middle path: acknowledging Somaliland as a functioning entity with achievements worth noting, while underscoring the importance of Somalia’s unity as a cornerstone of regional security. Given the Horn of Africa’s strategic location along the Red Sea and its exposure to competing international interests, any new wave of fragmentation would likely carry far-reaching consequences.
In this context, the ambassador’s commentary can be read as a cautious policy prescription—advocating continued dialogue and practical engagement but warning against hasty steps that might upset existing power balances. It also leaves room for a broader debate on how to reconcile Somaliland’s unique political trajectory with the imperative of maintaining Somalia’s territorial integrity as part of the wider regional security architecture.
The ambassador’s commentary underscores a broader mood in U.S. political corridors: cautious support for Somaliland’s stability, but a firm insistence that Somali unity remains the cornerstone of America’s regional strategy.
