Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi said his nation is ready to enter into a full security and economic partnership with the United States, arguing that it occupies what he called "perhaps the most strategically positioned territory in the region" -- positioned along a maritime corridor that carries 30 percent of global container traffic, with abundant critical minerals and a stable, pro-Western foothold in a volatile corner of the world.

Mohamud condemns Israel's diplomatic move as illegal under international law, warning of broader implications for global governance and stability.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Dec. 26 that Israel would recognize the Republic of Somaliland as a sovereign nation, a few months short of the 35th anniversary of its declaration of independence from Somalia in May 1991.