Republican Scott Perry’s Plan to Break Up Somalia: Somaliland Offers a Port in Quid Pro Quo Request

Policy Group Opposes Republican Scott Perry’s Plan to Break Up Somalia: Somaliland Offers a Port in Quid Pro Quo Request

 As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the secessionist regime in Somaliland offered the U.S. a strategic port/military base in Somaliland in exchange for U.S. recognition of Somaliland as an independent country. The Somaliland government is a secessionist regime attempting to break away from the East African country of Somalia. The Somaliland regime’s belief that U.S. diplomatic recognition is for sale insults the U.S.

Diplomatic recognition of a state is an act enshrined in international law. If successful, Somaliland’s quid pro quo request will call into question the integrity of the U.S. and set a bad precedent. Many African countries, including Nigeria and Morocco, are facing secessionist movements. To quote a Nigerian official, “We have separatist problems here in Nigeria too. Will America now start relations with the Niger Delta in exchange for oil?” Note: The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta is a secessionist movement seeking to break away from Nigeria.

The Biden Administration is opposed to the Russian-backed secessionist provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine. The Biden Administration also supports a One-Somalia policy. We believe this is the proper stance when dealing with secessionist regimes. This is why we are concerned by the introduction of the H.R. 7170 – Republic of Somaliland Independence Act by Republican Congressman Scott Perry of Pennsylvania’s 10th district. The Congressman supports Ukraine’s sovereignty but has introduced a bill to break up Somalia, an African State. This is not the 1800s when Western powers treated Africa as their private property and drew the boundaries of African states at will.

We at Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. opposes H.R. 7170 and other proposed legislations attempting to circumvent Somalia’s sovereignty.