Somaliland leader makes business pitch at Davos dinner with Trump’s son, Israel’s president |
DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) — The president of Somaliland was at the World Economic Forum this week to win international recognition for and pitch investment opportunities in his breakaway region.
At a closed-door dinner on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on Wednesday, President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi outlined investment opportunities in Somaliland, notably its strategic deep-sea port of Berbera, which sits along one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, according to two people present.
In attendance were Eric Trump, son of the US President Donald Trump and a leading executive of the Trump family’s sprawling business spanning from real estate to crypto, and Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, whose country recognized Somaliland last month — a first by any United Nations member.
A Reuters reporter saw Abdullahi go into the conference room where Eric Trump and Herzog were, and later saw photos of Eric Trump shaking hands with the Somaliland president and posing for pictures with him.
During the dinner, Abdullahi stood up and, holding a microphone, made a short address, according to the two people present and a video of his speech that Reuters reviewed.
“For 24 years, Somaliland has been stable, democratic, peaceful, ready for........