Somalia Offers US Access to Military Bases, Critical Minerals

Somalia offered to renew a deal that allows the US to access its ports and airports for military purposes, countering a similar proposal by the breakaway region of Somaliland.

“Somalia and the US have a longstanding cooperation framework, including a 1980 agreement on port and airport access for US military purposes,” Ali Mohamed Omar Balcad, the state minister for foreign affairs, said in response to questions. “The federal government has recently offered to renew that agreement, which remains the appropriate and lawful channel for any security cooperation.”