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Donald Trump set to recognise African state as official country, says ex-Tory minister after holding talks
Former defence secretary Sir Gavin Williamson says he has found an ally in Donald Trump to end the US block on recognition of Somaliland
David Maddox Political editor Tuesday 19 November 2024 12:05 GMT
Donald Trump is poised to recognise a former British protectorate as an official country, according to a former UK defence secretary who lobbied the president elect.
Sir Gavin Williamson told The Independent he has held talks with Trump’s team about the recognition of Somaliland, which holds a crucial strategic position on the Red Sea.
He said he was confident the new president would take up the issue once he assumes office in January.
The former Tory cabinet minister has been the leading advocate for official recognition of the ex-British protectorate, which has in effect been independent from Somalia since 1991.
It is uncomfortable for Labour that a senior Tory figure is seeking to influence US foreign policy, and potentially bounce the UK government into changing its stance on the issue.
Sir Gavin revealed that he has been talking to the Trump team “for ages” about the issue in the event of his victory this month.
He said: “They should agree to it though when he assumes office it will probably all take a little longer than we hope. But had really good meetings with his policy leads so fingers crossed.”
He added: “One of Trump’s last orders as president was to withdraw troops from Somalia but then Biden countermanded that order. There is nothing that Trump hates more than someone overruling him so I used that to push the argument.”
It comes after Somaliland recently successfully held free and fair elections where the opposition leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi won on a 53 per cent turnout.
While Somaliland has close links with the UK as a former part of the empire, the only country which recognises it is Ethiopia which signed a deal for access to the sea at the port city of Berbera.
The agreement signed on 1 January this year caused an international row with Somalia which still lays claim to the territory after the two countries united in 1960.
Previous attempts to recognise Somaliland were effectively blocked by former US president Barak Obama who supported Somalia’s claim. President Joe Biden supported this position even though Somalia is a centre for international piracy and terrorism, with US intelligence flagging possible discussions with the Houthis – who are attacking shipping in the nearby Gulf of Aden – to provide weapons to the militant al-Shabaab in Somalia.
The first Trump administration came close to recognising the tiny de facto state before Trump lost the election in 2020. If he were to go ahead with recognition it will put pressure on the UK to follow suit.
News of Somaliland came as Sir Keir’s government comes under pressure over its deal with Mauritius to give them sovereignty over the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean.
Former defence secretary Sir Gavin Williamson says he has found an ally in Donald Trump to end the US block on recognition of Somaliland
David Maddox Political editor Tuesday 19 November 2024 12:05 GMT
Donald Trump is poised to recognise a former British protectorate as an official country, according to a former UK defence secretary who lobbied the president elect.
Sir Gavin Williamson told The Independent he has held talks with Trump’s team about the recognition of Somaliland, which holds a crucial strategic position on the Red Sea.
He said he was confident the new president would take up the issue once he assumes office in January.
The former Tory cabinet minister has been the leading advocate for official recognition of the ex-British protectorate, which has in effect been independent from Somalia since 1991.
It is uncomfortable for Labour that a senior Tory figure is seeking to influence US foreign policy, and potentially bounce the UK government into changing its stance on the issue.
Sir Gavin revealed that he has been talking to the Trump team “for ages” about the issue in the event of his victory this month.
He said: “They should agree to it though when he assumes office it will probably all take a little longer than we hope. But had really good meetings with his policy leads so fingers crossed.”
He added: “One of Trump’s last orders as president was to withdraw troops from Somalia but then Biden countermanded that order. There is nothing that Trump hates more than someone overruling him so I used that to push the argument.”
It comes after Somaliland recently successfully held free and fair elections where the opposition leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi won on a 53 per cent turnout.
While Somaliland has close links with the UK as a former part of the empire, the only country which recognises it is Ethiopia which signed a deal for access to the sea at the port city of Berbera.
The agreement signed on 1 January this year caused an international row with Somalia which still lays claim to the territory after the two countries united in 1960.
Previous attempts to recognise Somaliland were effectively blocked by former US president Barak Obama who supported Somalia’s claim. President Joe Biden supported this position even though Somalia is a centre for international piracy and terrorism, with US intelligence flagging possible discussions with the Houthis – who are attacking shipping in the nearby Gulf of Aden – to provide weapons to the militant al-Shabaab in Somalia.
The first Trump administration came close to recognising the tiny de facto state before Trump lost the election in 2020. If he were to go ahead with recognition it will put pressure on the UK to follow suit.
News of Somaliland came as Sir Keir’s government comes under pressure over its deal with Mauritius to give them sovereignty over the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean.
