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Voters in Somaliland went to the polls on Wednesday amid the growing possibility of the region being recognized as an independent state.
While it is considered part of Somalia by the United Nations, Somaliland is run independently and has sought international recognition since 1991. President Muse Bihi Abdi and main opposition candidate Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, a former parliament speaker, are the leading contenders.
The election comes amid changing regional dynamics. Somalia is vehemently opposed to a deal signed this year that would give landlocked Ethiopia access to Somaliland’s Red Sea port of Berbera in exchange for Ethiopia’s recognition of Somaliland.
Project 2025, a document by US conservative group Heritage Foundation that has been described by some as a blueprint for Donald Trump’s incoming administration, proposes the US recognition of Somaliland as a hedge against Washington’s weakened position in nearby Djibouti.
