Somaliland is ready to grant the US privileged access to its mineral resources, as well as the possibility of deploying American military bases, one of the ministers in the separatist region's government told Agence France-Presse, BTA reported.
In December last year, Israel became the first country to recognize Somaliland since its separation from Somalia in 1991. The decision caused sharp discontent in Mogadishu, which continues to claim control over the territory.
"We are ready to grant the US access to our mineral resources. "We are also open to the idea of offering military bases to the United States," said Somaliland government minister Hadar Hussein Abdi.
Israel has recognized the breakaway Somali region of Somaliland as an "independent and sovereign state," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said. Israel is the first country in the world to take such a step.
Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi signed a joint declaration. It "is in line with the spirit of the Abraham Accords, signed at the initiative of President (US) Donald Trump," the office added.
According to the statement, Israel plans to immediately strengthen its relations with the Republic of Somaliland through broad cooperation in the fields of agriculture, health, technology and the economy." Somaliland is located in the northwestern part of Somalia on the Red Sea coast. The region unilaterally declared independence in 1991, but has not yet received international recognition.