Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro has described his recent meetings with senior US officials as productive and urged President Donald Trump to formally recognise Somaliland, Horn Diplomat reported on 12 October.
In an interview with Breitbart News published on 11 October, Irro expressed optimism about closer diplomatic, economic and security relations with Washington, according to Horn Diplomat, which described the interview as exclusive.
What happens to Somaliland's international standing matters for Ethiopia, which is landlocked and has sought sea access and port arrangements on the Somaliland coast.
On the same day, Horn Diplomat reported that Somaliland's Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Adan Bakal said Somaliland was ready to discuss arrangements for Ethiopia to access its coastline and use the port of Berbera. Speaking to Sky News Arabia in Abu Dhabi, Bakal described Ethiopia as a close ally whose maritime needs Somaliland understands, the outlet reported.
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Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not received broad international recognition. In January 2024 Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland seeking sea access; Somalia rejected it as a violation of its sovereignty. Turkey mediated the Ankara Declaration between Ethiopia and Somalia in December 2024.
The Horn Diplomat report did not give the names of the US officials Irro met or the dates of the meetings.
