Somaliland President offers Berbera for foreign military bases

Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro is seeking to transform the breakaway republic into a strategic hub for security and trade, modeling his ambitions after Djibouti. During a visit to Nairobi, Irro expressed interest in offering military facilities along Somaliland’s coastline to global powers, specifically mentioning the United States and Israel, to help secure the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden waterways.

Irro aims to develop the port of Berbera into a primary gateway for the Horn of Africa. He is actively working to persuade Ethiopia to utilize Berbera as its main outlet for international trade, leveraging the existing infrastructure developed by the United Arab Emirates. By hosting foreign military bases and increasing port services, the administration hopes to secure international recognition and economic stability for the region.