Somalia has formally offered the United States access to three of its most strategic ports—Mogadishu, Kismayo, and Berbera—as part of a broader effort to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and dissuade Washington from recognizing Somaliland’s claims of independence.
Ali Mohamed Omar, Somalia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, confirmed in an interview with TRT World that his government had proposed renewing a Cold War-era military agreement with the United States. The original pact, signed in 1980 under President Jimmy Carter, granted U.S. forces access to Somali ports and airfields, including the military base in Berbera.
“We have now asked the United States to renew the agreement so they can still use those three ports—and if they need more, they can use them too,” said Omar. “It’s a strategic move to get closer to the U.S., because America is very important in our fight against al-Shabaab. We need their support, and they are helping us now.”
The offer follows rising tensions over Somaliland, the self-declared republic in northwestern Somalia that has functioned autonomously since 1991 but lacks international recognition. U.S. media reports recently indicated that Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud sent a letter to former President Donald Trump requesting that the U.S. assume oversight of ports and airfields in Berbera and Bosaso in exchange for a commitment not to recognize Somaliland.
However, questions have emerged about the practicality of Somalia’s offer. The federal government does not currently control Berbera, which Somaliland, nor Kismayo administer, the economic hub of the semi-autonomous Jubbaland region. Both territories have had limited or strained ties with Mogadishu.
Former U.S. Special Envoy for the Sahel and Great Lakes regions and prominent Somaliland supporter J. Peter Pham, who is close to Trump, criticized the proposal. He noted that Somalia was offering control of ports it does not govern, calling the move “an insult to the intelligence of the American people.”
In the same TRT interview, Omar emphasized the broader geopolitical significance of Somalia’s coastal position and its role in U.S. and allied security strategy. “Somalia has the longest coastline in Africa,” he said. “Our relationship with the U.S. is very strong. They support us in fighting both al-Shabaab in the south and Daesh in the north.”
While Washington has not officially responded to the port offer, the Somali government continues to press forward to consolidate sovereignty, deepen foreign partnerships, and fend off any diplomatic breakthroughs that could lend legitimacy to Somaliland’s independence drive.
