On Aug. 14, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz called on the Trump administration to recognize Somaliland as an independent state. Cruz’s appeal was pitched as a way to reward democracy and counter China’s influence in Africa.

The call for recognition echoes a broader push among American conservatives, including from Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, who has declared, “America should proudly be the first state to recognize Somaliland.” Supporters argue recognition would reward Somaliland’s relative stability and electoral record in contrast to Somalia’s dysfunction.

On Aug. 14, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz called on the Trump administration to recognize Somaliland as an independent state. Cruz’s appeal was pitched as a way to reward democracy and counter China’s influence in Africa.

The call for recognition echoes a broader push among American conservatives, including from Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, who has declared, “America should proudly be the first state to recognize Somaliland.” Supporters argue recognition would reward Somaliland’s relative stability and electoral record in contrast to Somalia’s dysfunction.

Since the early 2000s, Somaliland has organized multiple presidential, parliamentary, and municipal elections involving peaceful transfers of power. International observers, though limited in number, have generally found these polls to be credible, despite recurring delays and disputes over the voter registration.

In addition to emphasizing this track record of democracy, Republicans also frame a state of Somaliland as a strategic counterweight to China. Rep. John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, wrote in a January letter that the creation of a U.S. representative office in the capital of Hargeisa would “underscore our commitment to countering the [People’s Republic of China’s] PRC’s growing influence in one of the world’s most........

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