WASHINGTON, D.C – The U.S. State Department has said there has been no change in Washington’s policy toward Somalia, despite growing calls from Republican lawmakers for the United States to recognize Somaliland.
A person close to the department, speaking to Semafor on condition of anonymity, said the United States maintains its long-standing position on Somalia, though the issue of Somaliland is subject to periodic review.
The clarification comes after Senator Ted Cruz urged the Trump administration last week to formally recognize Somaliland, calling the territory a “critical security and diplomatic partner” for Washington.
Cruz, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa, highlighted Somaliland’s strategic location on the Gulf of Aden and accused Beijing of punishing the territory for its support of Taiwan.
Trump also fueled speculation after he said his administration was “working on” the question of Somaliland during a recent interview.
He was responding to a question about whether Gazans could be relocated to Somaliland — an idea reportedly linked to Somaliland’s potential willingness if Washington were to grant recognition. Some in the territory took Trump’s remarks as an encouraging signal.
Supporters of Somaliland have long argued that U.S. recognition would reward its relative stability and democratic governance, contrasting with conflict-ridden Somalia. They also contend that closer ties would strengthen American intelligence capabilities in a volatile region where China already maintains a permanent military base in neighboring Djibouti.
Beijing, however, sharply rebuked Cruz’s call, dismissing his claims as “baseless attacks.” The Chinese embassy in Mogadishu accused U.S. politicians of “serious interference in the internal affairs of Somalia” and of adopting a “hegemonic and bullying attitude.”
Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, held its sixth election last year, bringing opposition leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi to office. While the region operates with its own government and institutions, no country has formally recognized it as an independent state.