UK MP Gavin Williamson accuses Somalia of aiding Al-Shabaab and Houthis, urges Trump to recognize Somaliland.
The geopolitical storm surrounding Somalia just escalated as UK MP Gavin Williamson accused Mogadishu of directly financing Al-Shabaab and arming Yemen’s Houthi rebels. His allegations—bold and unfiltered—paint Somalia’s government as a terror-enabling entity that manipulates international aid for its own agenda.
Williamson praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to cut off USAID funding, claiming that American taxpayer money had been funneled through USAID to support Al-Shabaab militants. If true, this revelation would expose a damning case of foreign aid being weaponized for jihadist warfare.
Going further, Williamson accused Somalia of using Al-Shabaab as a proxy to supply financial and military aid to the Houthis—the Iran-backed militants who have turned the Red Sea into a battleground. As global shipping routes face relentless attacks, the MP’s claims suggest that Somalia is playing a far more dangerous role in regional instability than previously acknowledged.
The British lawmaker didn’t stop there. He called for Trump to recognize Somaliland, hailing it as “the most democratic country in the region” and a critical Western ally. His plea reinforces the growing international push to legitimize Somaliland as a stable and counterterrorism-focused alternative to Somalia.
This isn’t the first time Williamson has pushed for Somaliland’s recognition in the UK Parliament, but with Somalia’s alleged terror links now under renewed scrutiny, the political momentum might be shifting. If Western powers take his warnings seriously, Trump’s next move could reshape the Horn of Africa’s power balance—either strengthening Somaliland or doubling down on dismantling Somalia’s terror networks.
