UNIFIED SOMALIA: CORNERSTONE OF HORN OF AFRICA STABILITY AND AMERICAN INTERESTS..

Throughout history, great nations have often been called upon to make difficult decisions that influence the fate of entire regions. Today, the United States faces such a moment in its policy towards Somalia. In an era of shifting alliances and heightened global competition, America’s interests in the Horn of Africa will be best served by continuing to support Somalia’s territorial integrity…

By doing so, the United States reinforces its strategic position and builds on its longstanding record of effective security cooperation with Somalia—a partnership that has advanced counterterrorism efforts and bolstered regional stability, The Horn of Africa, long a crucible of conflict, now hovers at a critical juncture. Clan-based ambitions threaten to fracture Somalia’s national cohesion.

Yet all these groups, divided by lineage but sharing a common Somali heritage, need not become separate states. Allowing one region to break away would encourage others to follow suit, leading to a dangerous domino effect of fragmentation. Such fractures risk balkanizing the region, perpetuating instability, and handing extremist groups like Al Shabab fertile ground to regroup.

By contrast, supporting Somalia’s unity helps sustain the security environment that has allowed U.S.-Somali collaboration to weaken terrorist networks over the years, Let us be clear: granting international recognition to any secessionist movement would open a Pandora’s box. We need look no further than the aftermath of Sudan’s partition, which did not yield lasting peace but rather entrenched conflict and suffering.

We must not risk repeating such a tragedy in Somalia. Instead, the United States must remain committed to Somalia’s sovereignty within its recognized 1960 borders—an enduring policy that has helped stabilize one of the world’s most strategically vital regions.

By standing firmly behind a unified Somalia, we choose lasting stability over highly risky short-term fixes. We preserve a security environment that keeps extremist networks off balance, deny opportunities for strategic competitors to undercut U.S. influence, and protect a region whose stability is integral to global commerce and counterterrorism efforts. Through foresight, diplomacy, and principle, we can help Somalia maintain its hard-earned unity while advancing and protecting America’s enduring interests in the Horn of Africa.