HARGEISA, Somaliland — (HornPost) Andres Loretdemola, an American business development and diplomatic representation specialist and founder of the American Chamber of Commerce of Somaliland, has called on the United States to formally recognize Somaliland, arguing that stronger commercial ties could help deepen strategic relations between Hargeisa and Washington.
Loretdemola made the remarks in an interview with journalist Abdikarim Saed Salah on Horn Cable TV, during his first visit to Somaliland.
He said he traveled from Washington, D.C., to Hargeisa to establish the American Chamber of Commerce of Somaliland, an initiative he described as a platform for strengthening commercial relations between American businesses and Somaliland entrepreneurs.
“I believe that at this moment the United States should recognize Somaliland,” Loretdemola said during the interview.
American Chamber of Commerce Targets Investment
Loretdemola said the chamber is intended to create institutional infrastructure that can connect American companies with business opportunities in Somaliland.
He identified mining, logistics and other sectors as areas where he believes American investors could explore opportunities.
According to Loretdemola, the chamber was created partly because he believes Somaliland needs stronger commercial links with the United States as Washington increasingly emphasizes trade and private-sector engagement in its Africa policy.
He argued that establishing a dedicated chamber of commerce could provide a framework for American companies seeking investment opportunities in Somaliland.
Why He Established the Chamber
Explaining his decision to establish the organization, Loretdemola said he has experience working in emerging markets and often travels to markets where American commercial presence is limited.
He said that while examining Somaliland, he found what he considered a gap in the institutional infrastructure connecting American businesses with Somaliland.
The chamber, he said, is intended to help fill that gap by creating relationships between companies and business communities in both countries.
“This project cannot happen without the participation of both American and Somaliland companies,” he said, encouraging local entrepreneurs interested in working with American businesses to engage with the new organization.
Somaliland’s Geopolitical Position
Loretdemola also linked Somaliland’s strategic importance to developments in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and wider Middle East.
He argued that Somaliland’s location opposite Yemen and near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait gives it potential strategic importance for the United States and other international powers.
He said the recent regional conflicts had highlighted the vulnerability of major maritime chokepoints, including the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, through which significant volumes of global trade and energy shipments pass.
According to his assessment, the security threats posed by the Houthis and Somali piracy have increased the importance of maritime security in the Gulf of Aden.
Berbera Could Strengthen U.S.-Somaliland Engagement
Loretdemola said Berbera Port could play a major role in expanding American economic and strategic engagement with Somaliland.
He pointed to the port’s location on the Gulf of Aden and its potential role in regional logistics and maritime security.
He also contrasted Somaliland’s position with neighboring Djibouti, where the United States operates a military base and China also maintains a military presence.
Loretdemola argued that Somaliland could provide Washington with another strategic partner in the region.
His comments reflect his own assessment of U.S. strategic interests and should not be interpreted as an official position of the U.S. government.
Somaliland Recognition and Israel
The American businessman also discussed Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, which he described as a major development in Somaliland’s international position.
He argued that the security situation around Yemen and the Red Sea had contributed to Israel’s strategic interest in Somaliland.
Loretdemola further said that recent changes in U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump could create an opportunity for closer cooperation between Washington, Hargeisa and Jerusalem.
He described the possibility of trilateral cooperation as an area that could have implications for regional security.
These views were presented by Loretdemola during the Horn Cable TV interview and do not represent an official U.S. government position.
President Irro’s Washington Visit
The interview also focused on the expected visit of Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi “Irro” to Washington.
Loretdemola said he came to Somaliland partly to prepare for the president’s planned engagement in the United States.
He said he understood the visit would focus on efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation and promote Somaliland’s case for recognition.
Loretdemola also said he had heard of growing interest in Somaliland among sections of the American foreign-policy and business communities.
He cited American figures who have previously supported stronger U.S.-Somaliland relations, while emphasizing that his own focus is on expanding the discussion into the wider American business community.
Critical Minerals and U.S. Supply Chains
One of the most significant economic points raised in the interview concerned critical minerals.
Loretdemola said the United States is seeking to diversify sources of critical minerals away from Chinese supply chains and argued that Somaliland could potentially become part of that strategy.
He said Somaliland has offered the United States access to critical minerals in exchange for recognition, describing the proposal as potentially attractive to Washington.
However, these comments were made by Loretdemola during the interview and should be understood as his characterization of the potential arrangement, rather than confirmation of an agreement by the U.S. government.
Message to American Investors
Addressing American businesses that may be concerned about Somaliland’s unresolved international status, Loretdemola pointed to what he described as Somaliland’s record of stability, democratic elections and peaceful transfers of power.
He argued that Somaliland has demonstrated resilience despite operating without the level of international institutional and development support available to many other countries.
At the same time, he cautioned potential investors that Somaliland should be viewed as a long-term investment opportunity, rather than a market where companies should expect immediate returns.
“The challenges are considerable,” he said, while arguing that patient investors could find opportunities over the longer term.
Commerce Before Politics?
Loretdemola also presented a broader argument about how the United States should approach its economic relations with Africa.
He cited the historical example of U.S. relations with Madagascar, arguing that early American engagement with African countries was built around commerce and trade before deeper political relations developed.
He said he believes the private sector should play a greater role in building relationships between the United States and Somaliland rather than waiting for governments to establish full political ties first.
“The private sector here is crucial,” he said.
For Loretdemola, the American Chamber of Commerce of Somaliland is therefore intended not only as a business organization but also as a mechanism for building people-to-people and commercial links between Somaliland and the United States.
A Message to Washington
Asked what message he would send to the U.S. government about Somaliland, Loretdemola urged American policymakers to visit Hargeisa and assess the situation directly.
“Come to Hargeisa, see for yourself how open the people are and recognize what already works,” he said.
He called for Washington and Hargeisa to work together to take bilateral relations to what he described as the next level.
For Somaliland’s business community, his message was equally direct: the chamber needs participation from both American and Somaliland companies if it is to succeed.
HornPost Analysis
Loretdemola’s interview presents an emerging argument that economic diplomacy could become an important component of Somaliland’s campaign for international recognition.
The American Chamber of Commerce of Somaliland is positioning itself at the intersection of three issues: U.S.-Somaliland commercial relations, Red Sea maritime security and Somaliland’s international recognition campaign.
Whether that approach can translate into significant American investment or influence U.S. policy remains uncertain. But the creation of a U.S.-focused business platform provides Somaliland’s private sector with another potential channel for engagement with American companies and policymakers.
Interview by Abdikarim Saed Salah for Horn Cable TV. This article is based on the interview transcript and has been rewritten and contextualized by HornPost, also Abdikarim Saed Salah is the Editor-in- Chief of HornPost.com
Prepared by:
HornPost Staff
