Behind Closed Doors in Davos: Inside Somaliland’s High-Level Diplomatic Dinner – The Power Circle Hosting Somaliland’s President.

As global leaders gathered in the Swiss Alps for the World Economic Forum, one private dinner quietly redrew the diplomatic map for Somaliland.

President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi “Irro” hosted a special, invitation-only dinner with Israeli President Isaac Herzog on the sidelines of the Davos summit — a meeting that symbolized the rapid deepening of relations between Somaliland and Israel following Tel Aviv’s formal recognition of Somaliland’s sovereignty.

President Herzog publicly welcomed the establishment of diplomatic ties and expressed hope that cooperation between the two nations would expand for the benefit of both peoples, marking one of the highest-profile international endorsements Somaliland has received in three decades.

But the significance of the evening extended well beyond the two presidents.

In a statement posted on Facebook, President Irro confirmed that the dinner was attended by senior politicians and international business leaders, including Eric Trump, son of U.S. President Donald Trump. Although not a government official, Eric Trump serves as Executive Vice President of the Trump Organization and is a close political adviser to his father. He had earlier attended a separate Davos event hosted at the same venue titled “Global Changes and Opportunities in Emerging Markets.”

While the full guest list was not officially released, WARYATV independently analyzed photographs shared by President Irro, cross-referencing publicly available data and verified attendee databases linked to the event. That review confirmed the presence of several prominent figures at the dinner.

Among the most notable was Nir Barkat, Israel’s Minister of Economy and Industry and a former mayor of Jerusalem, who plays a central role in Israel’s economic diplomacy and engagement with international investors.

The gathering also included some of the world’s most influential business leaders:

Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, Chairwoman of the Louis Dreyfus Group, one of the largest global commodity trading firms spanning agriculture, energy and logistics.

Luděk Sekyra, a Czech billionaire with major investments in real estate, infrastructure and European philanthropy.

Evangelos Marinakis, Greek shipping magnate, energy transport tycoon and owner of Premier League club Nottingham Forest.

John S. Koudounis, President and CEO of U.S.-based Calamos Investments, a major institutional asset management firm.

Rainer Schorr, founder and chairman of European real estate group Standard Land SA.

Nadav Sarfir, a senior official at Israel’s Ministry of Technology and Innovation.

The dinner was part of a broader program hosted by Greek House Davos, led by Eirini Vantaraki, who has described the platform as a hub for discreet strategic meetings away from public panels. According to Vantaraki, Davos is increasingly shifting from open forums to closed-door encounters where political power, capital, and long-term strategy converge.

What remains unclear is the full scope of discussions or the complete list of attendees, as the gathering was private and by invitation only.

What is clear, however, is the geopolitical signal it sent.

The presence of Somaliland — a state not yet broadly recognized internationally — among senior Israeli officials, figures tied to U.S. political power, and global economic elites underscores a striking diplomatic development: Somaliland is no longer waiting outside the room. It is being welcomed inside it.

And in Davos, that distinction matters.

From Recognition to Alliance: Somaliland President Irro Meets Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Eric Trump in Davos, Marking a New Strategic Era.

In the rarefied corridors of Davos, where power is often exercised more quietly than it is announced, President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdulaahi “Irro” delivered a moment that may redefine Somaliland’s global posture.

At a historic dinner meeting in Switzerland, the President of the Republic of Somaliland sat alongside the President of the State of Israel, Isaac Herzog, and Eric Trump, son of the President of the United States — a tableau that speaks louder than any formal communiqué.

This was not ceremonial diplomacy. It was strategic choreography.

The meeting marked the first high-level public engagement following Israel’s official recognition of Somaliland on December 26, 2025 — a decision that shattered three decades of diplomatic inertia and repositioned Somaliland firmly within the architecture of emerging global alliances.

Held in an atmosphere described by officials as one of mutual respect and trust, the talks moved swiftly beyond symbolism into substance. Both presidents discussed the foundations of a state-to-state partnership, exploring cooperation across a spectrum of strategic sectors: security and defense, technology and cyber capabilities, agriculture and water management, healthcare, energy development, and mining.

These are not soft fields. They are pillars of state-building.

For Somaliland, the significance is twofold. First, it confirms that recognition is not an endpoint but an entry point into the world’s strategic systems. Second, it demonstrates that Somaliland is not approaching global partnerships as a passive beneficiary, but as a contributing actor — offering stability, maritime security, and geopolitical relevance in one of the world’s most sensitive corridors: the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea basin.

President Irro used the occasion to formally thank Israel’s government and people for what he described as a “historic and courageous” recognition — one that affirmed, after 34 years, the right of Somaliland’s people to stand as a sovereign state within the international community.

But the message went deeper.

By emphasizing Somaliland’s identity as a peace-loving, democratic, and law-abiding state, Irro positioned the country not merely as a recipient of diplomatic goodwill, but as a model of post-conflict statehood in a region too often defined by instability.

The presence of Eric Trump at the table added a powerful layer of geopolitical subtext. While not a government official, his proximity to the U.S. presidency — particularly in the current political climate — underscores Somaliland’s expanding visibility within influential American political and strategic circles. In diplomacy, access often precedes alignment.

This meeting, in effect, signaled that Somaliland’s recognition by Israel is not an isolated diplomatic event. It is the opening move in a broader realignment — one that connects Hargeisa to Jerusalem, Washington, Abu Dhabi, and beyond.

What emerged in Davos was not simply a dinner.

It was a declaration of arrival.

Somaliland is no longer negotiating its existence. It is shaping its alliances.

As global power centers quietly recalibrate their priorities around security corridors, maritime routes, and technological resilience, Somaliland is positioning itself where it belongs: at the table where the future is being written, not merely read.

And in the thin Alpine air of Davos, one truth became unmistakably clear:

The Republic of Somaliland has entered its era of strategic diplomacy — not as a hopeful claimant, but as a recognized, reliable, and rising state.

From Hargeisa to Davos: Somaliland at Davos: President Irro’s Arrival Signals a New Era of Global Legitimacy.

In global diplomacy, optics often matter as much as formal treaties. This week, as a helicopter touched down in the snow-covered enclave of Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, a single image quietly altered the political gravity of the Horn of Africa.

President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi “Irro,” stepping onto Alpine ground at the World Economic Forum, did more than attend a conference. His arrival sent a message that resonated far beyond the Swiss mountains: Somaliland is no longer knocking at the door of international legitimacy — it is walking through it.

Davos is not just another summit. It is a gatekeeper of relevance. The World Economic Forum convenes leaders who shape capital flows, security architectures, and the future of global governance. Invitations are not extended to “regional administrations” or symbolic entities. They are reserved for actors deemed capable of influencing the world’s direction.

That is why the absence of Somalia — and the presence of Somaliland — carried such political weight.

For Mogadishu and Somaliland’s long-standing detractors, the shock was not merely symbolic. It was structural. While Somalia remains mired in dependency politics and internal fragmentation, Somaliland’s head of state was entering the room where global priorities are debated, funded, and implemented.

This is the “Spirit of Dialogue” made tangible — a dialogue in which Hargeisa is now formally present.

President Irro’s public message to Somalilanders spoke of “peace, prosperity, and goodwill.” But the subtext was unmistakable: sovereignty is no longer a claim; it is a practiced reality.

By linking his greetings to an image from Davos, Irro anchored Somaliland’s local struggle for recognition to the global pursuit of stability and growth. For citizens at home and in the diaspora, the image validated more than three decades of self-governance, democratic transitions, and economic resilience built without international recognition — and now, increasingly, without apology.

The theme of this year’s WEF, “Connecting leaders to make sense of global challenges,” aligns almost surgically with Somaliland’s emerging geopolitical posture. As Somaliland navigates the post-recognition phase following Israel’s recognition and its deepening integration into the UAE-led Red Sea security and trade architecture, Davos offers a critical platform to translate political legitimacy into material power.

Three strategic priorities stand out.

First, engaging global capital. Somaliland is signaling a shift from aid dependency toward direct investment, placing Berbera, logistics, energy, and digital infrastructure into conversations with sovereign wealth funds and multinational CEOs.

Second, solidifying alliances. In a neutral, high-level setting like Davos, Somaliland can quietly reinforce ties with Abraham Accords partners and maritime security stakeholders without the diplomatic noise that often surrounds bilateral visits.

Third, defining the Horn of Africa’s future. By positioning Berbera and the corridor linking Ethiopia to the Gulf as a cornerstone of global supply chains, Somaliland inserts itself into discussions previously dominated by Djibouti, Kenya, and fragile federal Somalia.

The symbolism could not be sharper. The roar of F-35s over Hargeisa days earlier spoke to territorial security. The hum of helicopter blades in Davos spoke to the expansion of influence. One secures the nation. The other projects it.

President Irro’s presence in Switzerland reflects more than diplomatic ambition. It represents a new Somaliland doctrine: security at home, legitimacy abroad, and relevance everywhere in between.

Somaliland has not simply arrived in Switzerland. It has arrived on the global stage — not as a petitioning territory, but as a contributing actor in shaping tomorrow’s world.

And for the first time in modern history, Somaliland is no longer asking to be recognized.

It is being recognized by where it stands.

How Somaliland Entered the New Red Sea Security Order. This wasn’t an airshow. It was a message—to the Horn, the Red Sea, and the world.

At approximately 10:00 p.m., the sky above Hargeisa stopped being symbolic and became strategic.

Residents looked up to see the unmistakable silhouettes of F-35 fighter jets banking low over the capital. In most regions, such a sound triggers fear. In Somaliland, it triggered applause. Phones came out. Cheers followed. The moment carried a meaning far larger than the aircraft themselves: Somaliland had crossed a geopolitical threshold.

This was the visible confirmation of Israel’s formal recognition of Somaliland and the extension of the Abraham Accords into the Horn of Africa.

When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the recognition, he framed it not as a legal footnote, but as a strategic decision rooted in the Abraham Accords’ logic—security alignment, economic integration, and regional realignment. Somaliland was not being recognized out of sentiment. It was being integrated into a new order.

For years, the Abraham Accords reshaped the Middle East by replacing ideological paralysis with transactional cooperation. Somaliland’s inclusion extends that gravitational pull across the Red Sea. The implication is blunt: Somaliland is no longer peripheral. It is now a node in a high-value security and trade architecture linking the Gulf, the Levant, and East Africa.

This move fits seamlessly into an Emirati-centered political economy. The United Arab Emirates has spent the past decade building ports, logistics corridors, and military infrastructure along the Red Sea. The Port of Berbera Port is not an outlier in that strategy—it is one of its anchors.

By aligning with Israel, Somaliland locks itself into this UAE-led stability framework. This is not proxy politics. It is economic realism. It places Somaliland inside a system that rewards predictability, trade security, and modern defense capability rather than ideological posturing.

The F-35s themselves carry symbolism that goes beyond firepower. Valued at over $80 million per jet, they are among the most advanced machines ever built. Their presence signals entry into a modern defense tier—one defined by interoperability, intelligence fusion, and deterrence credibility.

Contrast this with Mogadishu, where officials reportedly reacted with shock. While Somalia remains trapped in internal fragmentation and reactive diplomacy, Somaliland has made a forward-looking bet: align early with the emerging Red Sea order rather than plead for relevance in collapsing ones.

Recognition is often discussed in abstract legal terms—resolutions, committees, corridors in New York. But last night demonstrated something more concrete. Recognition is also airspace. It is security guarantees. It is being included in who protects what—and why.

The roar over Hargeisa was not intimidation. It was validation. A 34-year project of state-building, stability, and strategic patience was acknowledged not with speeches, but with presence.

The Red Sea is being reorganized in real time. Trade routes are militarized. Alliances are hardening. And for the first time in modern history, Somaliland is not watching from the margins.

It is inside the architecture—visible, protected, and increasingly indispensable.

Somaliland Warns Turkey and Somalia Over Alleged Troop and Weapons Deployment to Las Anod.

The Republic of Somaliland has issued one of its strongest warnings yet, accusing Turkey and Somalia’s federal leadership of preparing a military offensive aimed at destabilizing Somaliland following Israel’s recognition of its sovereignty.

According to Somaliland officials, the Commander of the Turkish Armed Forces stationed at TurkSom has arrived in Las Anod, a move Hargeisa describes as direct interference coordinated with Mogadishu. Somaliland alleges that troops and weapons are being mobilized and transported to the contested town with Turkish logistical support.

President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro did not mince words. He warned that aircraft belonging to Turkey were allegedly ferrying Somali troops and arms into Las Anod, framing the buildup as preparation for an attack on Somaliland territory.

“The Somali government is preparing an offensive against Somaliland,” the president said, adding that Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has openly stated that Somalia and its allies aim to bring Somaliland back under Mogadishu’s authority.

Hargeisa views the developments as a dangerous escalation—one that risks igniting wider instability across the Horn of Africa. President Irro explicitly cautioned international actors against being drawn into what he described as a reckless strategy.

“I warn them not to take part in interfering in Somaliland, or to participate in actions that could cause instability in Somaliland or the Horn of Africa,” he said.

The accusations come as Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre arrived in Las Anod for the inauguration of the leader of the so-called North East State administration—an event Somaliland sees as politically provocative and militarily sensitive.

In Hargeisa’s reading, the pattern is clear: diplomatic pressure failed, symbolic visits followed, and now alleged militarization is underway. Somaliland’s message is equally clear—any attempt to resolve political disputes through force will be met with firm resistance, and those enabling such actions will bear responsibility for the consequences.

What happens next in Las Anod may determine whether the region steps back from the brink—or crosses into a far more dangerous chapter.

Somaliland Graduates 6,000 National Army Soldiers in Sool Amid Rising Tensions With Somalia.

More than 6,000 Somaliland National Army (SNA) soldiers have completed intensive training in the Sool region, marking one of the largest single-force readiness milestones in recent years. The graduation ceremony, attended by the Commander of the National Army and the Minister of Defense, sends a clear and deliberate signal at a moment of escalating political and security pressure.

“We are united in discipline and pride. We stand prepared to defend our country against any aggression and safeguard the nation,” one graduating soldier said—language that reflects not ceremony, but posture.

The timing is not accidental. The training concludes as the Somali federal government intensifies diplomatic and political efforts to undermine Somaliland’s statehood, including symbolic incursions and rhetorical escalation centered on Lasanod. In response, Hargeisa is shifting from reassurance to deterrence.

This is not a mobilization for war, but a calibrated display of readiness. Somaliland’s leadership is signaling that sovereignty is not only defended in diplomatic rooms, but anchored in disciplined, deployable force on the ground.

According to insider security sources, foreign partners are closely watching developments. Both United Arab Emirates and Israel are reported to be directly monitoring the security situation in and around Lasanod, underscoring Somaliland’s growing integration into a wider regional security architecture.

As diplomatic pressure mounts and narratives intensify, today’s graduation reframes the equation. Somaliland is no longer reacting. It is positioning—quietly, deliberately, and with force readiness to back its political trajectory.

In the new phase unfolding in the Horn of Africa, Lasanod is no longer a question mark. It is becoming a line.

Somaliland Slams Somalia President’s Lasanod Visit as Minister Khadar Abdi Reasserts Sovereignty.

Somaliland has issued a sharp and calculated response after Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud landed in Lasanod, a city Hargeisa considers an integral part of Somaliland since independence on June 26, 1960. The visit, coming just weeks after Israel’s formal recognition of Somaliland, is widely viewed in Hargeisa as a political provocation rather than a peace gesture.

Minister of the Presidency Khadar Hussein Abdi framed the issue bluntly: Mogadishu is projecting authority it does not possess. His message was not emotional; it was surgical. A president who has failed to unify Mogadishu, Garowe, and Kismayo, failed to build a functional national army, and failed to deliver credible elections, has no standing to dictate affairs inside Somaliland’s borders.

The timing matters. Since Israel’s recognition, Somaliland has faced intensified diplomatic, media, and political pressure. The Lasanod visit fits that pattern — an attempt to manufacture relevance at a moment when Somaliland’s international status is advancing while Somalia’s internal legitimacy remains fragile.

Abdi’s statement reaffirmed two core points of the “Hargeisa Doctrine.” First, Lasanod is Somaliland — historically, legally, and administratively. Second, Somaliland remains committed to resolving disputes through dialogue and peaceful means, not escalation. The contrast is deliberate: confidence versus chaos, institutions versus improvisation.

By urging Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to “put his own house in order,” starting with elections that allow Somalis to choose leadership freely, Somaliland is shifting the burden of credibility back onto Mogadishu. This is no longer a debate about borders; it is a referendum on governance capacity.

The underlying message is unmistakable. Somaliland’s recognition is no longer theoretical — it is a political fact. Symbolic visits, rhetorical threats, or external agitation will not reverse it. As Hargeisa signals calm resolve, Mogadishu’s gestures increasingly look like noise in a region that is already moving on.