Davos, Switzerland. Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi attended the World Economic Forum this week to seek international recognition and promote investment opportunities in the breakaway region. At a closed-door dinner, he highlighted the strategic deep-sea port of Berbera, according to two people present.
Closed-door dinner and attendees
At a dinner on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, Abdullahi outlined investment opportunities in Somaliland, including the port of Berbera, which lies along one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, according to two people present.
Those in attendance included Eric Trump, son of U.S. President Donald Trump and an executive in the Trump family business, and Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, whose country recognized Somaliland last month, the first United Nations member to do so.
A Reuters reporter saw Abdullahi enter the conference room where Eric Trump and Herzog were, and later saw photos of Trump shaking hands with Abdullahi and posing for pictures with him.
Address seeking support for recognition
During the dinner, Abdullahi stood and delivered a short address using a microphone, according to the two people present and a video of his speech reviewed by Reuters.
“For 24 years, Somaliland has been stable, democratic, peaceful, ready for business,” Abdullahi said in the video. “We expect that everyone (around) this table will support the recognition of Somaliland.”
Accounts of conversations and responses
The Somaliland president and Eric Trump also had two brief conversations when they shook hands at the beginning and end of the event, according to the two people present.
On Thursday, Abdullahi confirmed he had spoken with Trump and Herzog, telling Reuters: “The meeting went well, it went very well.”
Reuters said it was unable to independently confirm the specifics of Eric Trump’s conversations with the Somaliland president.
A spokesperson for Eric Trump confirmed Abdullahi attended the dinner reception and took a photo with him but denied the two men had a meeting, saying more than 100 people were in the room. “At no point did (Eric Trump) ever have a meeting with the Somaliland president. Nor, at any point did he discuss a port,” Kimberly Benza said in a statement.
What do you think the Somaliland president hopes to achieve by seeking recognition and investment at international events?
