Somalia: US begins direct engagement with regional states

MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – The United States has pivoted toward direct bilateral engagement with Somalia’s regional states, shifting away from its long-standing approach of routing diplomacy through Mogadishu to offer investment opportunities in natural resources under a distinct “trade, not aid” strategy.

The revised diplomatic approach reflects the foreign policy framework of U.S. President Donald Trump, which de-emphasizes traditional, centralized foreign aid packages in favor of commercial partnership, private sector exploration, and localized security cooperation. The direct economic overtures to regional governments unfold as Somalia’s Federal Government remains paralyzed by an internal political dispute over the expiration of the president’s term.

“Glad the US is bilaterally engaging with Somalia’s federal member states like Puntland rather than routing through Mogadishu. Trying to create a strong central government in Somalia is a failed experiment,” said Joshua Meservey, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute.

“The most plausible way the US can protect its interests there is by working with regional partners and those federal member states with a baseline of competence and legitimacy.”

The shift in Washington’s strategy materialized on Wednesday in Garowe, where Said Abdullahi Deni, the President of the semi-autonomous northeastern state of Puntland, hosted a senior U.S. delegation for high-level discussions.

The delegation was led by Justin Davis, the Acting U.S. Ambassador to Somalia, and included senior officers from the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), among them Col. Shane Jones, commander of U.S. special operations activities in Africa, according to a statement from the Puntland presidency.

Instead of traditional humanitarian or institutional capacity-building aid, the talks focused primarily on unlocking investment opportunities in the northeastern Federal State. According to the statement, discussions centered on strengthening cooperation between Puntland and the United States in the development of natural resources, particularly minerals, fisheries, and oil exploration.

In tandem with the economic talks, the U.S. delegation praised the performance of Puntland’s local forces, commending ongoing operations in the Calmiskaad mountains against active militant groups and noting improvements in stability across the region. Davis reaffirmed Washington’s support for Puntland in areas such as security sector assistance, public service delivery, and economic development, Puntland officials said.

The meeting, which included Puntland Vice President Ilyas Osman Lugator and senior cabinet members, comes amid a constitutional impasse in the capital. The federal government is currently embroiled in an internal dispute over the four-year term of the president, which expired on May 15. The president insists he has one more year in office under controversial constitutional amendments passed by parliament, a move fiercely rejected by opposition factions.

The high-level engagement in Garowe closely follows the failure of recent US-mediated negotiations held in Mogadishu. Talks between the Federal Government of Somalia and opposition figures collapsed without achieving a consensus on key national issues, including the country’s ongoing political transition and electoral framework.

The breakdown of the Mogadishu talks has raised renewed concerns among domestic stakeholders and international partners about political cohesion and the pace of Somalia’s state-building process, accelerating the push for direct economic and security ties at the regional level.

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