US and Somali officials in August 2022.
The United States is reportedly considering partial recognition of Somaliland in exchange for permission to establish a naval base near Berbera port, according to a report by the Financial Times.
A US official confirmed that the Trump administration has initiated discussions with Somaliland’s leadership about a potential agreement that would grant formal but limited diplomatic recognition in return for military access to the strategic Red Sea port. The talks, however, remain in the early stages.
According to the FT, “a US official briefed on Washington’s initial contacts with Somaliland’s presidency said discussions had begun about a possible deal to recognise the de facto state in return for the establishment of a military base near the port of Berbera on the Red Sea coast”.
“The person, who described the contacts as “the beginnings of a conversation”, said Washington had raised the possibility of relocating refugees from the US and Gaza, although this was not the most important part of the talks.”
“They said the Trump administration’s Africa team was not yet fully in place. “Until it is, these are very tentative, initial contacts,” the person said.”
The Berbera port, located along one of the world's busiest maritime routes, has long been of strategic interest to the US due to its proximity to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial shipping lane connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The establishment of a US military base in Somaliland would allow Washington to strengthen its maritime security presence in the Horn of Africa.
The US has historically avoided recognising Somaliland, citing diplomatic sensitivities with Mogadishu, which claims sovereignty over the self-declared state. However, with Ethiopia recently signing a port deal with Somaliland in exchange for potential recognition, Washington may see an opportunity to formalise its presence in the region.
The move also follows US military action in Somalia, where Trump ordered airstrikes in February 2025 targeting Islamic State positions.
Beyond military cooperation, reports indicate that the Trump administration has raised the possibility of resettling refugees in Somaliland, including Palestinians displaced from Gaza.
The proposal has raised concerns under international law, as forced population transfers could violate Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which classifies such actions as a crime against humanity.
In response to speculation, Somaliland’s President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro denied that his government was negotiating the resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza, stating that any solution should be reached through Arab consensus.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, following the collapse of Siad Barre’s regime. Despite establishing its own government, military, and currency, it has failed to gain official international recognition.
A referendum in 2003 saw 99% of voters support independence, but major world powers have yet to acknowledge Somaliland as a sovereign state. In January 2024, Somaliland signed a deal with Ethiopia, granting the landlocked country access to Berbera port in exchange for potential recognition—a move that triggered a diplomatic crisis with Somalia.
