The United States and Somaliland have engaged in discussions over a potential agreement that could see Washington recognize Somaliland in exchange for a U.S. military base in the strategic port city of Berbera, according to Financial Times.
A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Financial Times that the Trump administration has initiated negotiations with Somaliland’s leadership regarding formal recognition. However, the talks remain highly sensitive, as President Donald Trump has yet to appoint key officials overseeing African affairs.
The reported discussions center around Washington’s interest in securing a long-term military presence in Berbera, a deep-water port along the Gulf of Aden that has become a focal point of geopolitical competition in the Horn of Africa. The U.S. has been increasingly concerned about China’s growing influence in the region, notably after Beijing secured a military base in neighbouring Djibouti.
While details of the negotiations remain unclear, the Financial Times reports that the proposal could involve the United States formally recognizing Somaliland’s independence in exchange for exclusive basing rights in Berbera.
The report also revealed that the U.S. had raised the idea of relocating displaced Palestinians from Gaza to Somaliland, though it was not a central component of the talks. The proposal comes as international condemnation of a separate U.S.-Israeli initiative to resettle Palestinians in African nations, an idea that governments in the region have widely rejected.
On Friday, Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi categorically denied that Mogadishu had been approached or engaged in any discussions regarding the resettlement of Gazan refugees.
“The Federal Government of Somalia stands firmly with our Palestinian brothers and sisters in their just struggle for sovereignty and self-determination. Any plan that seeks to forcibly remove Palestinians from their land is unacceptable,” Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre stated at an Arab League summit in Cairo earlier this month.
Somaliland’s Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Adan also denied any such discussions, telling Reuters that “there are no talks with anyone regarding Palestinians.”
The Somali federal government, which considers Somaliland part of its sovereign territory, has vehemently opposed any U.S. recognition of the breakaway region. Officials in Mogadishu argue that such a move would violate Somalia’s territorial integrity and undermine diplomatic relations with the United States.
The Trump administration’s interest in recognizing Somaliland aligns with growing Republican support for the breakaway region. Somaliland has built strong ties with the GOP, and several congressional bills advocating for its recognition have been introduced in recent years, though none have passed into law.
In response to growing Republican support for Somaliland’s recognition, Somalia has intensified lobbying efforts in Washington, urging lawmakers to uphold the U.S. commitment to Somalia’s sovereignty. Somali diplomats have engaged with key figures in the State Department and Congress to counter Somaliland’s push for international legitimacy.
Unlike Somalia, which has been battling an Islamist insurgency for over 17 years, Somaliland has remained relatively stable since declaring independence in 1991. However, no country has formally recognized it as a sovereign state.
The White House and the U.S. State Department have not publicly commented on the reported negotiations with Somaliland.