Somalia has announced its readiness to renew an agreement allowing the United States to use its ports and airports for military purposes, a move officials describe as the only legitimate legal framework for security cooperation between the two countries.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ali Mohamed Omar Balcad, said Somalia and the United States share a long-standing partnership, including a 1980 agreement that granted the U.S. access to designated ports and airfields.
“The Federal Government has recently proposed renewing that agreement, which remains the proper and lawful channel for security cooperation,” Balcad stated.
His remarks come amid growing international interest in Somalia’s strategic location, particularly along key maritime routes near the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, areas that have gained increased security attention due to regional instability and threats to commercial shipping.
In recent years, the United States’ role in Somalia has largely focused on counterterrorism operations, especially against Al-Shabaab, which is linked to Al-Qaeda, as well as fighters aligned with ISIS.
Balcad’s statement follows comments by a senior official from Somaliland indicating the administration’s willingness to grant the United States access to military bases and mineral resources as part of broader efforts to expand its diplomatic relations.
Somalia maintains that Somaliland remains part of its sovereign territory, despite Somaliland’s long-standing claim of independence.
“Somalia’s position is clear: all agreements concerning land, ports, airspace, or natural resources must go through the constitutional institutions of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” Balcad emphasized.
He added that any statements by regional administrations claiming “special rights” over mineral resources or attempting to enter agreements with foreign entities lack legal standing under Somalia’s constitutional framework.
The development underscores ongoing diplomatic tensions surrounding territorial authority, sovereignty, and international security partnerships in the Horn of Africa.
