Somali president offers Trump exclusive US control over air bases and ports

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in a letter to his US counterpart, Donald Trump, that Somalia is prepared to offer the United States exclusive control of air bases and strategic ports, Reuters reported.

In the letter dated March 16, which was confirmed by a knowledgeable regional diplomat, the Somali president said the assets include the air bases at Baledogle and Berbera, as well as the ports of Berbera and Bosaso.

This offer could give the United States a stronger military presence in the Horn of Africa region as it looks to counter the threat posed by militants in Somalia and across the region.

The letter stated: "These strategically located assets provide an opportunity to enhance U.S. engagement in the region, ensuring uninterrupted military and logistical access while preventing external competitors from establishing a presence in this vital corridor."

Berbera is located in the breakaway region of Somaliland, meaning that an offer to control the port and airbase would lead to a clash between the local government there and Somalia.

"What cooperation? The United States has abandoned this corrupt regime called Somalia. The United States is now ready to engage with Somaliland, which has shown the world that it is a peaceful, stable, and democratic country," Abdirahman Dahir Adan, Somaliland's foreign minister, told Reuters.

"The United States is not stupid. It knows who to deal with when it comes to the port of Berbera," he added.

Somalia opposes any move to recognize Somaliland as an independent state. Baledogle is located about 90 kilometers northwest of the capital, Mogadishu, and Bosaso is located in the semi-autonomous Puntland state.

Source: Reuters