In 2025, Somalia confirmed it would grant the United States exclusive access to strategic air bases and ports, according to a letter from President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to President Donald Trump.
The proposal included the air bases in Balidogle and Berbera, along with the ports of Berbera and Bosaso, Reuters reported at the time.
“These strategically positioned assets provide an opportunity to bolster American engagement in the region, ensuring uninterrupted military and logistical access while preventing external competitors from establishing a presence in this critical corridor,” the letter said.
Ali Mohamed Omar Balcad, Somalia’s state minister for foreign affairs, said the proposal builds on a 1980 agreement that already provides a legal framework for US military access.
According to Bloomberg, Omar Balcad noted that the federal government recently offered to renew the arrangement, describing it as the “appropriate and lawful channel for any security cooperation.”
Somaliland has reportedly offered the US access to key infrastructure, including the strategically located Berbera port and airstrip, in exchange for diplomatic recognition.
“We are willing to give exclusive access to our minerals to the United States. Also, we are open to offer military bases to the United States,” Khadar Hussein Abdi, minister of the presidency, told the AFP news agency in an interview.
While Somalia has formally offered the United States access to Berbera Port, the situation is complicated by the fact that the port is physically controlled by Somaliland, which manages day-to-day operations through the Somaliland Ports Authority and DP World.
This means that, although Mogadishu can make official diplomatic offers, any US presence would require the cooperation of Somaliland and the private operator, creating a delicate balance between legal authority and practical control
A high-stakes contest in the Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa occupies a critical geopolitical position along shipping lanes that connect the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.
The proximity to the Gulf of Aden – a corridor for a significant share of global trade and energy flows, has long made the region strategically valuable to global powers.
Although no formal recognition has materialized, speculation over potential ties has heightened sensitivities in Mogadishu, which insists that any foreign military or diplomatic arrangements must be negotiated through the federal government.
Analysts also highlight Washington’s interest in securing strategic bases to maintain influence, project power, and ensure direct access to key minerals in the area.
Somalia remains a key partner in operations against al-Shabaab, and access to ports and airfields is central to logistical and operational flexibility.
By renewing its 1980 framework, Somalia is asserting sovereignty while attempting to secure Washington’s attention in a region where strategic alignment increasingly carries diplomatic and economic implications.
