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.
