Via Middle East EyeThe US has reaffirmed “the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Somalia, in a move seen as a blow to Somaliland, the breakaway region recently recognized by Israel and close to the United Arab Emirates. In a report to Congress on “Potential Areas for Improved United States Engagement with Somaliland”, the US State Department stated that Somaliland was included in the Federal Republic of Somalia.“Within that framework, the United States maintains a positive, constructive relationship with Somaliland and continues to explore additional opportunities for engagement with Somaliland authorities,” the report says. Israel became the first country in the world to formally recognize Somaliland on December 26 last year.Reuters/MEE: Somaliland military armed vehicles take part in a parade during the self-declared Independence Day, with celebrations commemorating their 1991 breakaway from Somalia, on 18 May 2026The month before, Somaliland President Abdirahman Abdullahi Mohamed secretly visited Israel, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other “top officials”, according to multiple sources in Somalia and Somaliland. Those other officials included Mossad chief David Barnea and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who visited Somaliland immediately after Israel formally recognised the former British colony’s sovereignty. 'Recognition is bigger than anything else. Do you have an alternative for us?'- Rooble Mohamed, Somaliland government adviserSomaliland has since recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, establishing an embassy there as meetings between Somaliland and Israeli ministers have continued and pro-Israel figures in the media have taken up the cause of independence for the breakaway Somali region. Jake Wallis Simons, former editor of the Jewish Chronicle, and Andrew Fox, an associate fellow at the right-wing Henry Jackson Society, were flown out to Somaliland for the May 18th self-declared independence day celebrations in Hargeisa, the region’s capital. Both men are ardent supporters of Israel. The UK’s former defence minister, Conservative MP Gavin Williamson, another keen supporter of Somaliland, was also part of the trip. Somaliland is hoping that Israel’s recognition will be followed by the UAE, with Ethiopia, India, Cyprus and Georgia also in its sights. Trump not expected to recognize SomalilandA congressional source told Middle East Eye they did not expect US President Donald Trump’s administration to recognise Somaliland. Though lobbyists, including former Trump officials Tibor Nagy and Peter Pham, had raised the hopes of Somalilanders over US recognition, “there was never a sign that the president would go through with it,” the source said.Trump has persistently singled out Somalia and Somali Americans for abuse during his second term in office. He has referred to Somalis as “low IQ people” and said that all Somalis are “crooked as hell”. He has said that Somali American congresswoman Ilhan Omar “is garbage”, and that “her friends are garbage”. A Somali analyst and policy adviser, who could not be named as he works with officials in both Somalia and Somaliland, told MEE he thought the report to Congress was “a consequential announcement that may effectively close the door on any lingering hopes of US recognition for Somaliland”.The #UnitedStates affirms its recognition of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of #Somalia, which encompasses the region of Somaliland.