With Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed 'Irro' set to depart for the US at the end of August for a diplomatic visit, speculation has gone into overdrive about what it might yield. Only a few months into his tenure as president, the seasoned Waddani politician has undoubtedly had a busy time in office, wrestling with both domestic and regional turmoil. Principal among these issues has been Mogadishu's concerted efforts-- with the help of China-- to undermine Hargeisa through the Dhulbahante-dominated SSC-Khaatumo administration in Laas Aanood, as well as the continuing perforation of Houthi interests along the Gulf of Aden. Now, with potentially the most important moment of his career ahead of him, Irro travels to the US with a famously mercurial president at the helm but with a penchant for deal-making. What precisely any deal with the US could entail remains to be seen, but speculation surrounding three key elements has been rife-- strategic minerals, resettling ethnically cleansed Palestinians, and a military base on Somaliland's shoreline.
This week, Somaliland President Abdirahman 'Irro' travelled to Qatar for what was billed as a "historic visit," the first sitting leader of the unrecognised polity to be received in Doha. It certainly proved historic, but unlikely in the way that the Waddani administration hoped for, with the Qatari PM and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani springing a chastening press release following their meeting. The last lines of the Qatari PM's statement were particularly toe-curling for Hargeisa, asserting that "Qatar's belief that Somalia's future is built through openness and constructive communication among all its components, to ensure respect for the sovereignty and national unity of the Federal Republic of Somalia." Though the Somaliland government has tried to brush it off, it may prove a wake-up call for the complexities of navigating relations with Doha and others.
Somaliland's regional diplomatic blitz continues. Having travelled to Djibouti and Kenya at the end of May, Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi 'Irro' is anticipated to depart for Ethiopia in the immediate future. Barring some minor stumbles in Kenya, Somaliland successfully conducted two diplomatic visits, with Irro meeting both Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh and his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto, and securing a range of agreements. Stabilising Somaliland's relationship with neighbouring Djibouti against the backdrop of Mahmoud Youssouf having assumed the African Union Commission Chair was particularly significant. But for Somaliland, with Ethiopia remaining its preeminent trading and diplomatic partner, the stakes of such a visit are far higher, coming in the wake of a complicated few months for the long-standing Addis-Hargeisa ties.