WASHINGTON — Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi “Irro” visited the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, paying tribute to the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and reaffirming Somaliland’s solidarity with the United States in the fight against terrorism.

During the visit, President Irro honoured the 184 people who were killed at the Pentagon, including those inside the building and passengers aboard American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon during the attacks.

Irro said that 25 years after the September 11 attacks, Somaliland continues to remember those who lost their lives and stands in solidarity with the American people and government. He expressed condolences to the victims’ families and respect for those who died in the attack.

The Somaliland president also used the occasion to emphasize Hargeisa’s position on international counterterrorism efforts. He said Somaliland supports efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremist organizations, presenting the territory as a partner committed to international security cooperation.

The memorial visit comes during Irro’s high-profile diplomatic engagement in Washington, where Somaliland is seeking to strengthen relations with the United States and advance its long-standing campaign for international recognition.

Security cooperation has become an increasingly important part of Somaliland’s message to U.S. policymakers. Hargeisa has emphasized its location along the Gulf of Aden, its proximity to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the strategic importance of the Berbera corridor as Washington focuses increasingly on maritime security and threats affecting the Red Sea region.

The visit also carries a broader diplomatic significance. By paying tribute to American victims of terrorism on the 25th anniversary of the attacks, Irro sought to demonstrate that Somaliland identifies with the United States on an issue that remains central to American foreign and national-security policy.

Somaliland has increasingly presented itself to Washington as a potential security partner in the Horn of Africa rather than solely as an unrecognized political entity seeking diplomatic recognition. That message has featured prominently during Irro’s current visit, alongside efforts to attract investment and expand political and security cooperation.

The memorial ceremony therefore combined a humanitarian gesture with a diplomatic message: Somaliland wants to be seen as a reliable partner in confronting terrorism and maintaining security in a strategically important part of Africa.

The visit comes as Washington continues to weigh its engagement with Somaliland while formally maintaining its policy of recognizing Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Somaliland, meanwhile, is seeking to persuade U.S. policymakers that closer relations with Hargeisa could advance American interests in counterterrorism, maritime security and stability in the Horn of Africa.

President Irro’s visit to the Pentagon Memorial was more than a ceremonial appearance. It offered Somaliland an opportunity to connect its diplomatic campaign directly to one of Washington’s defining security concerns: the fight against terrorism.

The message from Hargeisa is increasingly clear: Somaliland wants recognition, but it also wants to demonstrate why partnership with Somaliland could serve American interests. By combining its commemoration of 9/11 with its counterterrorism message, Irro is reinforcing Somaliland’s effort to position itself as a stable and security-oriented partner in the Horn of Africa.

The challenge now is whether this diplomatic symbolism can translate into deeper U.S.-Somaliland security cooperation and, ultimately, greater political support for Somaliland’s recognition campaign.