U.S. President Donald Trump has said he does not intend to immediately follow Israel in recognising Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent country.

Mr Trump made this known in a telephone interview the New York Post on Friday.

“Everything is under study … We’ll study it. I study a lot of things and always make great decisions and they turn out to be correct. Does anyone know what Somaliland is, really?” he asked.

On Somaliland’s proposal to provide the U.S. with access to a port on the strategically significant Gulf of Aden, Mr Trump responded dismissively, saying: “Big deal.”

Israel on Friday became the first country to formally recognise Somaliland’s separation from Somalia.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would convey the development to Mr Trump during a planned meeting scheduled for Monday.

Speaking during a video call with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi to mark the diplomatic move, MrNetanyahu said he would also inform Mr Trump of Somaliland’s interest in joining the Abraham Accords.

MrTrump underlined that he was not swayed by the proposal and that the upcoming talks with Mr Netanyahu would prioritise issues related to the Gaza Strip.

He added that the talks would also prioritise the Gaza ceasefire which he brokered in October and ongoing reconstruction efforts under a UN-approved framework.

(AA/NAN)