On 15 December 2022, the US Senate approved the National Defense Authorisation Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2023, which President Joe Biden signed into law on 23 December. Spanning 1,772 pages, the NDAA dedicates seven pages to Somalia and two specifically to Somaliland, signalling increased US defense-related engagement with the region. Although the Act explicitly states that it does not confer recognition of Somaliland as independent, it includes measures to provide direct assistance to Somaliland and monitor whether aid from the US State Department or USAID is withheld by Somalia’s federal government. The Act highlights Somaliland’s relative stability and strategic potential, notably the port of Berbera, which could host a US naval base. Such a base would reduce reliance on overcrowded Djibouti and prevent rival powers, including Russia, from gaining access to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.