Somaliland, U.S. SOCAFRICA Commander Hold Strategic Security Talks

By: Mohamed Duale

HARGEISA, Aug. 1 — Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro held strategic talks on Saturday with the commander of U.S. Special Operations forces in Africa, focusing on expanding security cooperation and safeguarding key maritime routes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, according to the Somaliland presidency.

The president met Major General Claude K. Tudor Jr., Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command Africa (SOCAFRICA), and a senior U.S. delegation in Hargeisa, where both sides discussed shared security interests and regional stability across the Horn of Africa.

Irro welcomed the U.S. delegation and described the visit as an important step toward strengthening cooperation on maritime security, counterterrorism and broader regional security issues.

According to the presidency, discussions centered on protecting the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Indian Ocean.

The Somaliland president said the territory’s more than 850-kilometre coastline gives it a strategic role in securing international shipping lanes and maintaining stability in the Horn of Africa.

1 of 3

He said the security of Somaliland’s coastline forms an integral part of both regional and global security, adding that international partners seeking cooperation on coastal and maritime security should engage directly with Somaliland.

Irro also highlighted Somaliland’s record of relative peace and stability for more than three decades, describing it as a democratic polity with functioning state institutions and a reliable security environment.

The president said Somaliland was ready to deepen cooperation with U.S. military and security agencies to combat terrorism, piracy, organized crime and other transnational threats affecting the region.

Major General Tudor said the United States and Somaliland share important security interests on land and at sea, according to the presidency.

He said stability in the Horn of Africa and the security of international maritime routes remain strategic priorities, adding that Washington is prepared to strengthen cooperation with Somaliland in areas of mutual interest, including intelligence sharing, professional exchanges, capacity building and broader security collaboration.

The meeting concluded with both sides expressing their commitment to expanding cooperation on shared strategic and security priorities, the presidency said.

(Reporting by Mohamed Duale; Editing by Horn Diplomat Desk)