Sema Fonkem 25 Jan 2026

On December 26, 2026, Israel became the first nation to recognise Somaliland as an independent state even though the country split from Somalia in 1991 after a brutal civil war.

After such a gesture, one would expect that Israel will take the lead in developing a bilateral relationship with Somaliland but au contraire, Benjamin Netanyahu’s biggest ally sits on top of affairs.

The president of Somaliland Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi met with Eric Trump and Israel’s leader Isaac Herzog during the World Economic Forum held in Davos Switzerland from 19 to 23 January 2026. Talks between the three leaders centred around improving their economic and political relationship.

Why the US inteterest?

This move will strengthen the U.S strategy to bolster its presence in the Red Sea region. With Somaliland located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden and bordered by Djibouti to the northwest, Ethiopia to the south and west, and Somalia to the east, this is just the perfect position needed by the US to expand its occupation around the 438,000 km² maritime corridor which connects the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean through the Suez canal and Bab el-Mandeb, serving as a vital global trade route handling 12% of international trade. 

The United States of America requires the Suez Canal for high-efficiency maritime artery for military mobility and global trade, mostly oil shipments.

With a large livestock population estimated at approximately 18.6 million, Somaliland’s strategic position in the Red Sea region is not all the country has to offer. Its wide range of livestock can be highly beneficial to US food industry.

The quest for a better life for US and Israel’s elites continues…