Hands Off Berbera: Why international community should oppose Somalia’s air base offer to U.S., support Somaliland’s quest for independence

[Deeq A.]

Addis Abeba –Recent reporting by Reuters indicates Somalia’s willingness to grant the United States “exclusive control of strategic air bases and ports.” According to the article, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, in a letter dated March 16 and addressed to former U.S. President Donald Trump, outlined this offer. Authenticated by a regional diplomat with knowledge of the matter, as reported by Reuters, the letter identifies assets including the Balidogle and Berbera air bases, as well as the ports of Berbera and Bosaso.

However, Somaliland has rejected an attempt by the federal government of Somalia to give the US exclusive control of a port and airbase in Berbera. According to the BBC, Somaliland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Abdirahman Dahir Aden dismissed the move as “desperate.”

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s letter to Washington reads like a desperate plea for relevance. By attempting to insert Somalia into a discussion about Somaliland’s strategic Berbera Port, Mogadishu exposes its own weakness.

For more than three decades, Somaliland has stood as a beacon of stability in a volatile region. Unlike Somalia, which has been marred by internal conflict and terrorist insurgencies, Somaliland has maintained peace, held multiple democratic elections, and fostered economic growth. These facts are irrefutable, no matter how much Mogadishu tries to distort them

Somalia’s leadership has consistently failed to provide basic governance to its people, let alone exert control over Somaliland. While President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud clings to outdated narratives, Somaliland is engaging directly with international partners, securing investments, and positioning itself as a key player in regional stability.

Somaliland’s successful management of the Berbera Port, in collaboration with DP World and Ethiopia, is a testament to its capability. This economic lifeline is critical not only for the Horn of Africa but also for global maritime trade passing through the Red Sea. While Somalia continues to struggle with insecurity, piracy, and terrorist threats, Somaliland has ensured the safe passage of goods and maintained stability along one of the world’s most crucial trade routes. This alone should be enough for global powers to recognize the stark contrast between Somaliland’s governance and Somalia’s dysfunction.

Yet, Somalia persists in its attempts to undermine Somaliland’s quest for independence through baseless diplomatic maneuvering. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration, rather than addressing its own internal crises, has resorted to fabricating claims over territories it neither controls nor has any influence over. This is not just a matter of political posturing—it is a deliberate attempt to mislead the international community. The question remains: how can a government that cannot secure its own streets claim sovereignty over a nation that has functioned independently for over three decades?

Somaliland’s case for international recognition is stronger than ever. It has proven itself to be a responsible and capable state, one that respects democratic principles, upholds security, and actively contributes to regional stability. In contrast, Somalia continues to rely on foreign troops to maintain order within its own borders, with its government struggling to assert control beyond a few city blocks in Mogadishu. The international community must recognize this for what it is—political theater meant to distract from Somalia’s internal chaos.

Mogadishu’s continued attempts to interfere in Somaliland’s affairs serve no purpose other than to delay the inevitable. The fact remains that Somaliland is not, and never has been, under Mogadishu’s rule since 1991. No degree of diplomatic deception can alter this reality. It is time for the international community to cease indulging Somalia’s unfounded claims and begin recognizing the truth: Somaliland’s quest for independence is poised to be successful.

The international community has long engaged with Somaliland on security cooperation, economic development, and trade partnerships. The United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union have all worked with Somaliland on counterterrorism efforts, infrastructure development, and humanitarian aid. This tacit acknowledgment of Somaliland’s legitimacy makes Mogadishu’s claims even more absurd. If Somaliland is good enough to be a security and trade partner, why is it not good enough to be recognized as an independent nation?

Somalia’s desperation is evident, and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s letter is only a desperate cry from a regime that has lost its grip on reality. No credible government in the world takes Mogadishu’s claims seriously, yet Somalia continues to waste its diplomatic efforts on a lost cause. Instead of addressing its internal governance failures, economic struggles, and growing security threats, it fixates on Somaliland—a nation that has already moved on.

A final message to Mogadishu: Somaliland’s independence is not up for negotiation. Its people have spoken, its government is functional, and its future does not include being dragged back into Somalia’s chaos. The international community must see Somalia’s desperate tactics for what they are—a last-ditch effort to remain relevant in a geopolitical landscape that has already passed it by. Somaliland’s legitimacy stands firm, unshaken by Mogadishu’s hollow rhetoric. The time for recognition is now. AS

Abdi Halim M. Musa is a political analyst and a former Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Commerce in Somaliland. He can be reached at halimusa4@gmail.com

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