The U.S. Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee, Lt. Gen. Dagvin Anderson, to lead United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), as the Pentagon and Congress signal growing interest in expanding ties with Somaliland, a self-declared republic in the Horn of Africa.
Anderson, 54, was confirmed by unanimous voice vote on July 31 before lawmakers adjourned for the summer recess. He becomes the first U.S. Air Force officer to lead AFRICOM since its founding in 2007, breaking a pattern of Army and Marine appointments.
In remarks reported by The Africa Report, Anderson said the United States was considering increased engagement with Somaliland, citing the limited success of longstanding policies in Somalia.
“I think it’s in our interest to have some level of engagement in Somaliland,” Anderson said.
Pressed by Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed, a Democrat, about the future of the U.S. troop presence in Somalia, Anderson said the U.S. had “seen some limited success there in training their forces,” pointing to the Somali Danab Brigade as a “capable counter-terrorism force.”
His comments come as U.S. policy appears to be shifting. In its Fiscal Year 2026 budget, the U.S. Congress directed the Secretary of State to explore avenues for deeper bilateral cooperation with Somaliland. According to the House Appropriations Committee report for H.R. 4779, the State Department is required to submit a report within 120 days of enactment outlining potential areas of engagement—including security, diplomacy, trade, and development.
Somaliland, which regained its statehood from Somalia in 1991 but remains unrecognized internationally, has emerged as a potential U.S. partner amid growing global competition in the Red Sea region.
Somaliland President Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi “Irro” is expected to travel to Washington, D.C. in the coming weeks for high-level meetings with U.S. officials. Talks are expected to cover possible U.S. access to Somaliland’s Red Sea port of Berbera, use of military facilities, and cooperation in developing critical mineral resources.
In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Irro confirmed that Somaliland had extended a strategic offer to the United States, positioning itself as a reliable partner in a volatile region.
Anderson, a 1992 graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and a career special operations pilot, previously served in multiple strategic roles within the Air Force and U.S. Special Operations Command. He succeeds Marine Lt. Gen. Michael Langley.
AFRICOM, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, coordinates U.S. military engagement across 53 African countries. Its mission includes counterterrorism, maritime security, and managing strategic competition with China and Russia—both of which are expanding their presence on the continent.
Djibouti, home to China’s first overseas military base and a key U.S. outpost, lies just across the Gulf of Aden from Somaliland. Analysts say greater U.S. presence in Berbera could serve as a counterbalance to growing Chinese and Russian influence in the Red Sea corridor.
While Washington has not formally recognized Somaliland, recent developments suggest a more pragmatic approach could be underway.
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