Somaliland Offers United States Exclusive Access to Mineral Resources and Military Bases
- Somaliland is stepping up its push for international recognition by offering the United States exclusive access to its mineral wealth and potential military bases
- The move comes just weeks after Israel became the first country to recognise Somaliland’s independence, sparking sharp criticism from Somalia and its allies
- With its strategic location across the Gulf of Aden and untapped resources, Somaliland is positioning itself as a key player in regional geopolitics
Somaliland is prepared to grant the United States exclusive access to its mineral resources, a senior minister has said, as the breakaway Somali region continues its push for international recognition.
Khadar Hussein Abdi, minister of the presidency, told AFP on Saturday:
Source: Getty Images
“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.” He added: “We believe that we will agree on something with the United States.”
According to Al Jazeera, officials in Somaliland have previously highlighted the presence of lithium, coltan and other valuable materials in the territory, although independent studies remain limited.
Israel recognises Somaliland independence
Israel became the only country to recognise Somaliland’s independence in December, a move welcomed by Somaliland’s leader, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Cirro.
He praised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his “leadership and commitment to promoting stability and peace” in the region.
Cirro had already suggested granting Israel privileged access to mineral resources, while Hussein Abdi said he could not rule out the possibility of also allowing Israel to establish a military presence.
Somalia has denounced Israel’s recognition as an attack on its territorial integrity, a position supported by most African and Arab leaders. Mogadishu has urged Netanyahu to withdraw the recognition.
US position remains unclear
The United States has not yet signalled a major shift on Somaliland’s status. However, in August, President Donald Trump suggested he was preparing to move on the issue when asked about Somaliland during a White House news conference. Trump had previously criticised Somalia and its president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Somaliland lies across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen, where Houthi rebels have targeted Israeli assets in solidarity with Palestinians. Analysts say the territory’s location and resources make it strategically significant for both regional and global powers.
Somaliland declared autonomy from Somalia in 1991 during the civil war that followed the collapse of President Siad Barre’s regime.
While much of Somalia descended into instability, Somaliland achieved relative stability by the late 1990s. Despite this, it has struggled to gain international recognition, with Israel’s recent move marking a rare breakthrough.
Source: Getty Images
Trump signs order to ramp up US deep-sea mining
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to expand US deep-sea mining for rare earth minerals in domestic and international waters, despite warnings by environmental groups.
White House aides say the initiative could see US operations scoop up more than a billion metric tons of deep-sea nodules and pump hundreds of billions of dollars into the American economy. The fast-tracking also flies in the face of a decade-long international effort to set ground rules for the burgeoning deep-sea industry.
Source: Legit.ng
