Somaliland President Meets Senator Ted Cruz on Capitol Hill to Press Recognition Case

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""] WASHINGTON — Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Irro) met with U.S. Senator Ted Cruz on Capitol Hill to discuss Somaliland's campaign for international recognition and closer cooperation with Washington on security, trade, and investment. The talks with the Texas Republican covered security in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as opportunities to expand economic ties. Irro thanked Cruz for his continued support for Somaliland's recognition. “Somaliland is ready to build a lasting partnership with the United States,” Irro wrote in a social media post, describing the relationship he seeks as one based on shared interests, mutual respect, and regional stability. Cruz's Longstanding Support for Somaliland Cruz has been among the most prominent voices in the U.S. Senate calling for stronger ties with Somaliland. In August 2025, Cruz urged President Donald Trump's administration to recognize Somaliland, citing its strategic location near major shipping routes and its potential as a U.S. security partner. The senator has argued that Somaliland promises to be a critical counterterrorism ally for the United States, stressing that stronger ties with Hargeisa would advance American security and strategic interests in the Horn of Africa. He has also called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to establish a separate U.S. travel advisory for Somaliland, arguing that the current policy treating Somaliland and Somalia under the same Level 4 advisory fails to reflect the territory's distinct security situation.

Read the original report: ftlsomalia.com →

Published

19 Sep 2026

Languages

English