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Somalia has extended an offer to the United States for exclusive control over strategic airbases and ports in the Gulf of Aden, thus adding a new geopolitical twist to great-power competition in the Horn of Africa.
In a letter from president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to U.S. president Donald Trump, Somalia proposed granting the U.S. operational control over the Balidogle and Berbera airbases, as well as the ports of Berbera and Bosaso. This offer, made in mid-March, aims to bolster the U.S. military’s presence in the region and strengthen efforts against Islamist militants. The strategically positioned assets would provide the U.S. with enhanced military and logistical access in the Gulf of Aden, a critical corridor for global trade and security. The U.S. has interests in the region, particularly in countering threats from extremist groups and securing maritime routes. Somalia views this as a critical opportunity to prevent external competitors from establishing a foothold.
However, the proposal has sparked tensions with Somaliland, a breakaway region that controls the Berbera port and airbase. Somaliland’s government, which has long sought international recognition as an independent state, dismissed Somalia’s offer, accusing the U.S. of siding with Somaliland. The region’s foreign minister, Abdirahman Dahir Aden, asserted that the U.S. is more inclined to engage directly with Somaliland, given its stability and governance. “The USA is not stupid. They know who they need to deal with when it comes to Berbera port,” Aden added. This development highlights the ongoing geopolitical struggle in the Horn of Africa, with Somalia’s territorial integrity and the future of Somaliland at the forefront of regional diplomacy.
In a letter from president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to U.S. president Donald Trump, Somalia proposed granting the U.S. operational control over the Balidogle and Berbera airbases, as well as the ports of Berbera and Bosaso. This offer, made in mid-March, aims to bolster the U.S. military’s presence in the region and strengthen efforts against Islamist militants. The strategically positioned assets would provide the U.S. with enhanced military and logistical access in the Gulf of Aden, a critical corridor for global trade and security. The U.S. has interests in the region, particularly in countering threats from extremist groups and securing maritime routes. Somalia views this as a critical opportunity to prevent external competitors from establishing a foothold.
However, the proposal has sparked tensions with Somaliland, a breakaway region that controls the Berbera port and airbase. Somaliland’s government, which has long sought international recognition as an independent state, dismissed Somalia’s offer, accusing the U.S. of siding with Somaliland. The region’s foreign minister, Abdirahman Dahir Aden, asserted that the U.S. is more inclined to engage directly with Somaliland, given its stability and governance. “The USA is not stupid. They know who they need to deal with when it comes to Berbera port,” Aden added. This development highlights the ongoing geopolitical struggle in the Horn of Africa, with Somalia’s territorial integrity and the future of Somaliland at the forefront of regional diplomacy.
