Pentagon has been urged to improve its relations with Somaliland.
The United States Congress issued this call to Pentagon after passing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
James Risch, a Republican member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated that Pentagon should stop relying on “outdated policies” in its dealings with Horn of Africa nations.
NDAA has multiple provisions calling for the deepening of ties between the US and Somaliland.
It also represents the first ever mention of Somaliland in a US law since 1991.
However, NDAA makes it clear that it does not call for the recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland as a separate and independent entity from Somalia.
NDAA comes a few weeks after the US failed to invite Somaliland to the US-Africa Summit.