This file photo taken on May 18, 2016 shows a woman holding a flag of Somalia's breakaway territory of Somaliland during an Independence day celebration parade in Hargeisa.
Kenya should prepare for the potential geopolitical shifts in the Horn of Africa as the international recognition of Somaliland becomes more likely. The self-declared republic parted ways with Somalia in the early 1990s after three decades of political union.
Credible reports indicate that the incoming United States President Donald Trump is considering recognising Somaliland to strengthen his country’s foothold in the strategic region and advance American security, economic and political interests. China and other countries have established military bases in neighbouring Djibouti to project power beyond their borders. Some of Trump’s influential former and current foreign policy advisers have publicly supported the recognition. These include Peter Pham, former Africa envoy in Trump’s first term and Bruce LeVeil, a long-term senior Trump adviser.
