Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud says Somalia will reject any Israeli military presence in Somaliland, including reported plans involving Berbera port and airport.
MOGADISHU, Somalia (Somali Report) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has said his government will not accept Israeli military presence, including reported plans to establish a naval base and use an airport in the Gulf of Aden city of Berbera under the breakaway region of Somaliland.
Hassan made the remarks in an interview with Al Jazeera's “Al-Muqabila” programme, excerpts of which were released ahead of the full interview scheduled to air on Sunday.
The president said Israel was planning to establish a naval facility in Berbera and use the city's airport, describing the alleged moves as part of an effort to position Israel closer to Gulf countries and Iran.
“Even this time, I believe we will overcome the challenge that Israel is creating,” Hassan said, according to the interview.
He said Somalia would firmly oppose what he described as a threat arising from Israeli activities in the region, while insisting that Mogadishu would respond in a way that protects Somalia's sovereignty and national interests.
Hassan also claimed that people living in Somaliland were strongly opposed to an Israeli presence there. Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not secured broad international recognition, maintains its own government and security institutions.
The president said Somalia had previously faced attempts to obtain parts of its territorial waters, but that the areas were restored through international law.
He also referred to another effort to secure access to the sea through Somali territory, saying Mogadishu had rejected the proposal.
Hassan's comments come amid heightened regional tensions over access to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where competing strategic and commercial interests have increased the importance of ports and maritime routes.
On Ethiopia, Hassan said relations between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa were currently positive and that he had worked to strengthen ties since returning to office.
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He said Somalia had no objection to landlocked Ethiopia obtaining commercial access to the sea through Somali territory, provided such access was negotiated through formal agreements.
Somalia, he said, could allow Ethiopia to use two or three Somali ports for imports and exports under economic agreements specifying fees, taxes and other charges.
Hassan said Ethiopia had told Somalia that it needed maritime access but had not yet submitted a formal request for such arrangements.
The issue has been a major source of tension between Somalia and Ethiopia since Addis Ababa signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland in January 2024. The agreement, which Somalia rejected, reportedly sought access to a stretch of coastline for maritime purposes.
Hassan also addressed security in the wider region, saying Yemen's Houthi movement had contributed to instability and disrupted shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world's key maritime chokepoints.
He stressed the importance of the waterway to global trade, particularly because it connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean.
On Somalia's relations with Washington, Hassan described the United States as Somalia's strongest ally and said security cooperation between the two countries remained active.
Turning to the fight against Al-Shabaab, he said the militant group no longer controlled Somalia's major cities and argued that it had no opportunity to regain control of the country.
The president's comments come as Somalia seeks to strengthen its regional partnerships while navigating disputes over sovereignty, maritime access and security across the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.
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