HARGEISA, Feb 22 (Horndiplomat) – Somaliland is willing to grant the United States access to its mineral resources and host U.S. military bases, a senior minister said, as the African nation steps up efforts to secure international recognition.
In an interview with AFP, Khadar Hussein Abdi, Somaliland’s minister of the presidency, said the government was ready to offer Washington exclusive access to key minerals.
“We are willing to give exclusive access to our minerals to the United States,” Abdi said. “Also, we are open to offer military bases to the United States.”
He added that Somaliland believed it could reach an agreement with Washington and did not rule out the possibility of Israel establishing a military presence as well.
Somaliland lawfully reclaimed its sovereignty in 1991. Since then, it has maintained its own government, currency, security forces and electoral system, but it is not widely recognised internationally.
In December 2025,Israel became the first country to formally recognise Somaliland’s independence.
Somaliland’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals says the territory is rich in lithium, coltan and other critical minerals used in batteries and electric vehicles, though independent geological studies remain limited.
In 2024, Kilomass, a Saudi mining company, secured an exploration agreement with Somaliland authorities to prospect for lithium and other strategic minerals.
President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro said earlier this month that Somaliland expects to reach a trade agreement with Israel and is open to offering rights to valuable mineral deposits as part of a broader partnership.
“Somaliland is a very rich country in resources — minerals, oil, gas, marine, agriculture, energy and other sectors,” Abdillahi said, adding that in return Somaliland would seek access to Israeli technology.
He also said he believed U.S. President Donald Trump could “someday” recognise Somaliland.
