Sunday August 2, 2026
AFRICOM commander General Dagvin Anderson speaks during an interview shared by the US Embassy in Mogadishu on July 31, 2026. (Photo: Screengrab)
Mogadishu (AX) — The United States will not establish a military base in North Western State of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) chief Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson said Friday, underscoring Washington’s continued support for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In an interview in Mogadishu with journalist Omar Faruk Osman, Anderson rejected reports and speculation that Washington was preparing to set up a military facility in North Western State of Somalia.
“No plans to build a base in North Western State of Somalia,” Anderson said.
He said the intensifying geopolitical rivalry in the Horn of Africa had not altered U.S. policy toward Somalia.
“U.S. policy is and remains the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia. That has not changed,” Anderson said.
Anderson said Washington would continue helping Somalia strengthen its security and pursue long-term stability, while emphasizing that lasting progress must be driven by Somali leaders and citizens.
“I think my message is we are committed to helping nations become more prosperous and secure. But we need a willing partner that is willing to focus on our mutual interests,” he said.
“The people of Somalia deserve prosperity and stability. They deserve that security. But ultimately it has to be the people of Somalia who want it, the government of Somalia who wants it. The United States has and will continue to help those who are willing to help themselves.”
His remarks follow renewed attention to foreign military activity in North Western State of Somalia, particularly after reports that extensive work has been carried out at Berbera Airport.
A recent report in the French newspaper Le Monde, citing satellite imagery, said the airport had seen major construction since late 2025. The developments prompted speculation that the United Arab Emirates might be building a military facility to advance its strategic interests, as well as those of partners including the United States and Israel.
Neither the UAE nor North Western State of Somalia authorities have confirmed that a military base is being built. No independent evidence has been released showing that the airport expansion is intended for military use.
Berbera lies close to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden, placing it along a critical global maritime route. Its location has made the port and airport a focus of rising competition among regional and international powers seeking to protect trade corridors and increase their security footprint in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa.
The United States maintains security and development ties with North Western State of Somalia, but Washington does not recognize it as an independent state. It continues to back Somalia’s internationally recognized sovereignty and territorial integrity.
