Somaliland, U.S. deepen security cooperation during AFRICOM Commander’s visit to Hargeisa, Berbera

By: Mohamed Duale

HARGEISA/Berbera — A senior U.S. military and diplomatic delegation visited Somaliland on Wednesday for high-level security talks and an assessment of strategic infrastructure along the Red Sea corridor.

Somaliland President Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Irro) received AFRICOM Commander Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson, U.S. Deputy Ambassador Justin Davis, and a large U.S. delegation at the Presidential Palace in Hargeisa for a wide-ranging strategic dialogue.

President Abdillahi said the talks focused on expanding cooperation in several priority areas.
“Today, I received AFRICOM Commander Gen. Dagvin Anderson, U.S. Deputy Ambassador Justin Davis, and a large U.S. delegation in Hargeisa. Our discussions focused on strengthening security cooperation, protecting Red Sea maritime routes, and enhancing counterterrorism efforts in the region. I highlighted Somaliland’s stability, democratic governance, and strategic location, and affirmed Somaliland’s readiness to deepen collaboration in security, economic development, and investment,” the president said.

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Following the meeting, the U.S. delegation travelled to Berbera for a detailed tour of Berbera Airport, Berbera International Airport, the Port of Berbera, and coastal security installations. The inspection offered U.S. officials a first-hand view of Somaliland’s expanding security capabilities and its geostrategic importance along one of the world’s most critical maritime corridors.

U.S. officials noted that Somaliland’s location on the Red Sea, combined with its record of internal stability, makes it a valuable partner for regional and maritime security at a time of rising geopolitical competition in the Horn of Africa.

The visit further underscores Washington’s growing interest in Somaliland’s reliability as a security ally and its capacity to safeguard international shipping routes linking the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea, and wider Indo-Pacific trade networks.

More updates expected — Horndiplomat.