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Vol 67 No 5

Published 6th March 2026


Somalia

Love me, love my minerals

Somaliland and Somalia are in a mining-based competition to influence Washington’s stance but the prevailing mood there may be indifference

Somaliland Minister of the Presidency Khadar Hussein Abdi repeated on 21 February an oft-made promise: Hargeisa will grant the United States access to its mineral resources, including lithium and rare earths, and the right to build military bases, in exchange for recognition. Somalia’s Federal Government countered two days later with an offer to revive the 1980 agreement allowing US military access to ports and airports.

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