Somaliland is making its boldest diplomatic move yet, offering the United States exclusive access to its mineral resources and military bases as part of an accelerating campaign for international recognition that is drawing growing attention from Washington.
“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, Somaliland’s Minister of the Presidency, told AFP in a February interview. Al Jazeera
The offer comes at a pivotal moment for the Horn of Africa nation, which has governed itself independently since 1991 but has yet to receive formal recognition from any major world power — until late 2025.
Israel Breaks the Ice
On 26 December 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel and Somaliland had signed a joint declaration establishing full diplomatic relations, describing it as being “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords.” Amani Africa The move made Israel the first country in the world to formally recognise Somaliland’s independence — a watershed moment that sent shockwaves through the region and set off a chain of diplomatic activity.
Somalia swiftly condemned the recognition, and the African Union convened an emergency session in response. But in Hargeisa, residents celebrated in the streets.
Washington Watches Closely
The United States has not yet followed Israel’s lead, but signals from Washington suggest the question of Somaliland’s recognition is no longer being ignored. A senior US military official visited Somaliland, meeting President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro and senior military leaders, specifically checking the port’s security and operational capacity — a visit that came months after Israel’s recognition and sent a clear signal that Washington is evaluating options on the ground. Military.com
The strategic logic is compelling. America maintains its main Horn of Africa base at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, but China operates its own facility nearby Military.com — a proximity that has long concerned US military planners. Berbera, with its deepwater port and strategic position on the Gulf of Aden, offers a credible alternative.
A Democratic Anchor in a Turbulent Region
Somaliland’s pitch to Washington rests not only on geography but on governance. In the 2024 presidential election, opposition candidate Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro secured a decisive victory with 64% of the vote, defeating the incumbent president — who accepted the outcome and publicly congratulated the new president, reflecting Somaliland’s deepening democratic ethos. Democracy in Africa
That track record stands in stark contrast to the situation in Somalia proper, where electoral reforms ahead of 2026 polls have triggered fierce resistance, with opponents viewing them as a bid to tilt the scales in the incumbent president’s favour. Africa Center
What Comes Next
Somaliland’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for 2027, and President Irro has signalled his commitment to holding them on time — continuing a democratic tradition that has made Somaliland one of the most stable nations in the Horn of Africa.
For now, all eyes are on Washington. A formal US recognition of Somaliland would transform the geopolitical map of East Africa, unlock international investment, and give Berbera’s already booming port a diplomatic boost to match its economic momentum.
Somaliland has been patient for 34 years. The window for recognition has never been more open.