Trump distinguished Somaliland from Somalia and suggested that Somaliland should change its name.
Hargeisa (SLpost)- Crowds gathered in Somaliland’s capital for a second day of celebrations, waving Somaliland and American flags after U.S. President Donald Trump described the territory as “a totally different country” from Somalia, fuelling hopes among residents that Washington could reconsider its position on Somaliland’s independence.
People assembled in central Hargeisa on Wednesday, with footage shared on social media showing celebrants waving flags, dancing and expressing appreciation for Trump’s comments. Some called for closer relations between Somaliland and the United States, viewing the president’s words as a rare public acknowledgement of the separate political identity that Somaliland has sought to establish internationally for decades.
The gatherings reflected the importance of international recognition in Somaliland, which declared the restoration of its independence from Somalia in 1991 and has since operated its own government, security forces and institutions.
For Somalilanders, Trump’s remarks offered a moment of encouragement after years of diplomatic efforts to secure wider acceptance of Somaliland’s sovereignty.
The U.S. president made the remarks during a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Monday, Oct. 12, while discussing immigration and American domestic politics. He distinguished Somaliland from Somalia and also suggested that Somaliland should change its name.
The distinction resonated in Hargeisa, where citizens have long hoped their country would one day be assessed separately from Somalia because of its political institutions, history and record of self-government.
Somaliland’s government welcomed the remarks in a statement issued on Tuesday, describing as an acknowledgement of the country’s distinct identity and reiterating its interest in deeper engagement with Washington.
The celebrations also underscored the public importance attached to the possibility of closer American ties. Somaliland occupies a strategic position along the Gulf of Aden, near one of the world’s major maritime trade routes, and its leaders have sought to present the Horn of Africa country as a potential partner in regional security, trade and investment.
The scenes in Hargeisa reflect a population eager for international recognition and alert to signs that a long-standing diplomatic impasse might change.
