Trump to recognise African state, says ex-Tory minister

Donald Trump is poised to recognise a former British protectorate as an official country, according to a former UK defence secretary who lobbied the president-elect.

- DAVID MADDOX

Sir Gavin Williamson told The Independent he has held talks with Trump’s team about the official recognition of Somaliland, which holds a crucial strategic position on the Red Sea.

He said he was confident Mr Trump would take up the issue once he assumes office in January.

The former Tory cabinet minister has been the leading advocate for official recognition of the ex-British protectorate, which has in effect been independent from Somalia since 1991.

It is uncomfortable for Labour that a senior Tory figure is seeking to influence US foreign policy, and potentially bounce the UK government into changing its stance on the issue.

“They should agree to it, though when he assumes office it will probably all take a little longer than we hope,” he said. “But had really good meetings with his policy leads so fingers crossed.”

He added: “One of Trump’s last orders as president was to withdraw troops from Somalia but then Biden countermanded that order. There is nothing that Trump hates more than someone overruling him so I used that to push the argument.”

It comes after Somaliland recently successfully held free and fair elections which the opposition leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi won on a 53 per cent turnout.