U.S. House Committee Approves Bill Highlighting Somaliland’s Strategic Role

[Deeq A.]

Washington, D.C., Sept. 19, 2025 — The United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs has approved a sweeping bipartisan package to reauthorize and restructure the U.S. Department of State, with landmark provisions aimed at strengthening U.S. engagement with the democratic nation of Somaliland.
The comprehensive Department of State Policy Provisions Act (H.R.5300) is part of a broader nine-bill reauthorization package, the product of nine months of bipartisan work incorporating more than 2,300 member priorities. The legislation seeks to modernize U.S. diplomatic operations, enhance public diplomacy, and establish new accountability mechanisms to ensure American foreign policy delivers results.
A key section of H.R. 5300 — titled “Ensuring Smooth Travel and Investment in Somaliland” — directs the U.S. Secretary of State to review and ease restrictions on travel and business engagement with Somaliland. The measure could pave the way for a U.S. diplomatic office in Hargeisa and updated travel guidance that highlights Somaliland’s outstanding record of stability, security, and democratic governance.
Somaliland’s foreign minister, Abdirahman Dahir Aden, hailed the committee’s decision as a historic milestone.
“I welcome the passage of H.R. 5300 by the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, led by Chairman Brian Mast. The bill opens the door to a U.S. office in Hargeisa, stronger trade ties, and acknowledgment of Somaliland’s stability, while also advancing the path toward formal recognition,” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The committee’s vote underscores growing bipartisan support for deeper ties with Somaliland, widely seen as a democratic success story in the Horn of Africa. Supporters argue that building stronger U.S.–Somaliland relations would bolster regional security, enhance trade, and counter rising geopolitical competition in the area.
The bill now heads to the full United States House of Representatives for debate and a vote. If passed, it would then move to the United States Senate for consideration in the coming weeks.

Horndiplomat

Qaran News