Somaliland President offers ports, minerals and possible bases to win US recognition

In Washington, Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro outlined a comprehensive package to persuade the United States to recognize the breakaway territory. He said Somaliland can grant US investors access to the strategically located Berbera port, its free-zone, fisheries and untapped oil, gas and mineral deposits, and is open to negotiating military access for the US, Israel or other partners, contingent on security support.

The proposal builds on existing US training cooperation and a recent visit by the head of US Africa Command, while Israel’s December recognition demonstrated that the long-standing taboo against acknowledging Somaliland can be broken. Irro will meet officials on Capitol Hill, the White House and at the UN General Assembly, even flirting with symbolic gestures such as naming the airport after Donald Trump or allowing a Trump Tower in Hargeisa.

Somalia’s government rejects any claim to sovereignty, viewing Berbera and its resources as part of Somalia, making the offer politically contentious. Irro also stressed that Somaliland remains open to Chinese investment and will keep Taiwan’s representative office despite Beijing’s objections.