MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – A former United States ambassador to Somalia has cautioned against Washington extending formal recognition to the breakaway region of Somaliland, warning that such a move could destabilize delicate clan dynamics and damage U.S. relations across the Horn of Africa.
In in an op-ed published on Tuesday, Larry André, who served as U.S. ambassador to Somalia from 2022 to 2023, said that granting recognition to Somaliland would be the worst of three available options for the United States and risk alienating both the Somali government and a significant portion of the population who support a unified, albeit decentralized, Somali state.
Somaliland, a self-declared republic in the northwestern part of Somalia, has operated with de facto independence since 1991 but has not been recognized internationally. The territory has built its own institutions and maintained relative stability compared to the rest of Somalia, yet its political status remains a point of contention.
André laid out three potential approaches for U.S. policy: continuing the current status quo with limited diplomatic engagement; establishing a liaison office in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, under the auspices of the U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu to facilitate dialogue between Somaliland and the federal government; or granting formal recognition to Somaliland – a move he strongly advised against.
“This initiative would harm our relations with Somalilanders who support reunion with autonomy, with historic Somalia as a whole, with the Horn of Africa region and with the African Union,” Andre said.
“Such a move would also destabilize Somali clan relations throughout the region. Alienation of the people and government of historic Somalia is likely to increase the influence of rival powers.”
His comments come amid growing interest in Somaliland’s strategic location along the Gulf of Aden and its recent outreach to foreign governments, including the United States and Ethiopia. Yet recognition remains a red line for many in Mogadishu and among Somalia’s partners in the African Union, who fear it could set a precedent for other secessionist movements across the continent.
Washington has not signaled any imminent shift in its long-standing position of supporting Somalia’s territorial integrity, but calls for deeper engagement with Somaliland and its recognition have intensified in recent years, particularly given the region’s relative stability and security cooperation with the West.
Still, André’s warning reflects the deep complexity of U.S. policy in the Horn of Africa, where alliances, clan dynamics, and regional rivalries continue to shape the geopolitical landscape.
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