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US Congress moves forward watered-down Somaliland bill

By Julian Pecquet

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Posted on June 10, 2022 16:54

A woman and child relax next to a mural of Somaliland’s flag, in Hargeisa, Somaliland on Feb. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
A woman and child relax next to a mural of Somaliland’s flag, in Hargeisa, Somaliland on Feb. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

The US Congress advanced legislation promoting a US security partnership with Somalia’s autonomous Somaliland region after several changes requested by critics of the breakaway effort.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee cleared the Somaliland Partnership Act on 9 June after months of behind-the-scenes lobbying by Somaliland and its detractors. The final version removes some controversial language while retaining the bill’s original intent, enabling lawmakers and stakeholders on both sides to claim victory.

“As the Horn of Africa faces a number of complex challenges, the United States should explore all possible mutually-beneficial relationships with stable and democratic partners, including Somaliland,” the bill’s sponsor, Republican James Risch of Idaho, said in a statement. “This legislation requires the administration to review outdated policies and diplomatic frameworks that don’t meet today’s challenges, and to review opportunities for establishing a partnership between the United States and Somaliland. I look forward to engaging with the State Department on

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