Hargeisa, Somaliland — The President of the Republic of Somaliland, Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Irro), held a strategic meeting on Monday with senior U.S. military officials for security in East Africa.

During the meeting, President Irro thanked the officers for visiting Somaliland and discussed ways to enhance regional security, cooperation, and partnership between Somaliland and the United States.

He emphasized Somaliland's strategic importance in the Horn of Africa and highlighted the territory's long-standing role in promoting peace, stability, democracy, and social development for over three decades.

Irro also expressed gratitude to U.S. legislative bodies for supporting Somaliland's international recognition and the positive developments in U.S. foreign policy concerning Somaliland and Somalia.

The visiting U.S. officials commended Somaliland's contributions to regional security on land and at sea and pledged to further strengthen cooperation through security support, training, and technical assistance.

Somaliland, which reclaimed its statehood from the Somali Republic in 1991 but remains unrecognized internationally, occupies a crucial position on the Gulf of Aden near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a key global shipping corridor. With decades of peace, democratic governance, and stability, Somaliland is a reliable and strategic partner for the West, capable of contributing to regional security, trade, and development.