In 2022, Somaliland offered the US military access to a strategic seaport and airfield in exchange for steps toward sovereignty.
With Arab nations rejecting Trump’s ‘Middle East Riviera’ plan, the United States and Israel are now eyeing the Horn of Africa as a potential destination for Palestinians forcibly uprooted from Gaza. One place tops their list: Somaliland.
On 14 March, an Associated Press report cited unnamed American and Israeli officials confirming quiet discussions with both Somalia and Somaliland—two bitter rivals whose divisions Washington could exploit to advance its plan.
For decades, Somaliland, a relatively stable corner in violent Somalia, has been lobbying in vain for international recognition as an independent state.
In 2022, it offered the US military access to a strategic seaport and airfield in exchange for steps toward sovereignty.
Now, as Washington—long committed to Somalia’s territorial integrity—considers an unprecedented deal, Somaliland’s leadership may see an opportunity to finally gain US recognition.
