The Somaliland breakaway region has offered the US access to its minerals and military bases, as it seeks international recognition, reported AFP.
“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,” the minister of the presidency, Khadar Hussein Abdi, said during an interview with AFP on Saturday.
“We believe that we will agree on something with the United States,” he added.
Somaliland is a breakaway region in northern Somalia, bordered by Djibouti to the north-west and Ethiopia to the west and south. It declared independence in 1991 and has since spent decades seeking international recognition.
In December 2025, Israel became the first country in the world to officially recognize Somaliland as an “independent and sovereign state,” signing an agreement establishing full diplomatic relations, including the opening of embassies and the appointment of ambassadors.
The Israeli decision sparked strong condemnation from Arab, Muslim and African countries, warning of its “serious repercussions” on peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea, as well as on international peace and security.
Recently, the Somaliland president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, hinted at giving Israel privileged access to the region’s mineral resources. Meanwhile, Khadar Hussein Abdi left the door open to an Israeli military presence.
Authorities in Hargeisa point to untapped reserves of minerals such as lithium and coltan, although these claims lack scientific backing.
