'African Biden': Somaliland president slammed for disastrous US interview

'African Biden': Somaliland president slammed for disastrous US interview The president of Somaliland, a breakaway state of Somalia recognised only by Israel, has come under fire for botching an interview at a US think tank widely viewed as sympathetic to Somaliland’s quest for US recognition. Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi can be seen giggling, wheezing and mumbling his way through a fireside chat hosted by the Hudson Institute in Washington, DC, according to videos shared on X on Monday. The footage comes as some US and Israeli news outlets have characterised Abdullahi as being on a high-stakes US visit where he will put a package of offers on the table to the Trump administration, including access for investors to port and mineral resources, in exchange for recognition. Somaliland's advocates pitch it as a responsible player in Red Sea security. But when asked what kind of critical minerals Somaliland could offer the US in exchange for recognition, Abdullahi laughed and said he’s not a geologist. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters “I don’t know… maybe everything,” he chuckled. Abdullahi appeared flustered when asked about the war in Sudan, one of Africa’s most devastating conflicts. The war between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has drawn in regional powers. The army is backed by Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, while the UAE - Somaliland’s main Gulf patron - backs the RSF. Abdullahi didn’t try to defend the RSF or even comment on the war in general. Instead, he said it was “too far away” and compared Sudan to “Venezuela" - in terms of its distance from Somaliland. Sudan's border is located just 750km from Somaliland. “But Sudan isn’t so far,” the moderator replied, smiling awkwardly. “We can move on from Sudan.” “This was a frail and ageing leader not fully able to deliver the brief that he came here to deliver to a skeptical Washington audience. It was like watching an African Biden,” Cameron Hudson, a former US intelligence official who specialises in African affairs, wrote on X. Botched answers Abdullahi also gave a circuitous reply when asked why the US should recognise Somaliland’s independence. “Practically [Somaliland] is not part of Somalia,” he said, laughing. “Somaliland theoretically is part of Somalia,” he said. Somaliland obtained its independence from Britain in 1960, five days before neighbouring Somalia, which had been colonised by Italy. The two united to form the Somali Republic. From the start, the two territories suffered from an uneasy coexistence that culminated in Somali ruler Mohamed Siad Barre overseeing a military onslaught against Somaliland in the late 1980s. Somaliland declared its independence in 1991 after a decade of war, escaping the civil war and instability that later engulfed Somalia. Somaliland has come under the spotlight recently because of its long coastline on the Gulf of Aden, across from Yemen. Israel recognised Somaliland in January 2026 and is eyeing a military base in the port of Berbera alongside the UAE, which already has a military presence there. Instead of sharing any insights into Somaliland’s strategic benefit to Israel or the US, when asked about the diplomatic deal with Israel, Abdullahi presented it as routine. He said that Israel was the only country to respond to his “petition” for “almost every leader in the world” to recognise his country, then giggled. Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.