Hassan Sheikh Warns Against Foreign Military Bases as Somalia’s Federal Crisis Deepens

MOGADISHU (WDN) — As Somalia grapples with mounting political instability and worsening insecurity under President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s leadership, in an interview with Sky News, President Hassan addressed growing geopolitical competition in the Horn of Africa, tensions with Abu Dhabi, Israel’s recognition of Somaliland and the escalating confrontation between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

While President Hassan overlooks his failures, and the deepening internal conflicts and political instability under his leadership, he has warned foreign powers against using Somalia as a platform for proxy wars, he noted the termination of the country’s defence and security agreement with the United Arab Emirates, and accused Israel of pursuing military interests in Somaliland.

“We will never give countries the opportunity to establish bases in our country to pursue proxy wars,” he said.

On the UAE, the president argued that activities undertaken by Abu Dhabi inside Somalia without the Federal Government’s approval were illegal. He also confirmed that the defence and security agreement between the two countries had been terminated.

His remarks come as Somalia faces a deepening constitutional and electoral crisis that has severely fractured relations between the Federal Government and the country’s federal member states.

Israel’s alleged military ambitions in Somaliland

Hassan Sheikh accused Israel of seeking a military foothold in Somaliland, particularly a naval base close to the Red Sea. Asked why Israel had recognised Somaliland, he suggested that the decision was driven by strategic and military interests rather than support for Somaliland’s political aspirations or economic development.

“The only thing they want is to have a naval base in that area,” he said.

The president reiterated Mogadishu’s opposition to Somaliland’s independence and insisted that Somalia’s territorial integrity remained non-negotiable. He nevertheless said the Federal Government remained willing to negotiate with Somaliland’s leadership.

He distinguished Somaliland’s secessionist position from those of Puntland and Jubaland, arguing that the two federal member states were not seeking independence from Somalia. He also expressed confidence that Washington would maintain its longstanding recognition of Somalia’s territorial integrity, despite Somaliland’s efforts to secure US recognition.

UAE, Israel and the struggle for influence

The interview reflects the growing strategic competition around the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. An analysis published by The New Arab linked the UAE’s support for Somaliland to the wider rivalry involving Türkiye and Israel, arguing that Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv have increasingly aligned interests in the region.

US analyst Cameron Hudson described the UAE and Israel as two powerful actors reinforcing one another around the Red Sea. He argued that both were prepared to intervene in regional politics and conflicts to advance their strategic interests, potentially at the expense of regional stability.

The analysis also highlighted the UAE’s commercial and strategic interests along the Red Sea, while noting that Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar have expressed support for Somalia’s territorial unity.

Hassan Sheikh voiced concern about the growing competition among regional and international powers for strategic influence over the Red Sea. He identified piracy and the conflict in Yemen as major threats to maritime security and called for greater international assistance to protect Somalia’s coastline, which he put at approximately 3,400 kilometres.

He argued that military operations alone would not eliminate piracy, given the networks linking pirate groups to communities on land. Effective maritime security, he said, must be accompanied by stronger coastal protection and economic opportunities for vulnerable communities.

Foreign policy warnings amid domestic political fragmentation

The president’s warnings about foreign interference come at a particularly sensitive moment for Somalia’s own federal structure. The country remains trapped in a prolonged political, electoral and constitutional dispute, with relations between Mogadishu and the federal member states deteriorating sharply.

The breakdown in cooperation has left most of the federal member states except Galmudug and Hirshabeele having severed ties with the Federal Government, further weakening the political consensus required to manage the country’s constitutional transition and agree on a credible electoral process.

This domestic fragmentation presents a significant contradiction for a government insisting that foreign powers must respect Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. While Mogadishu warns against external interference, its unresolved disputes with regional administrations have weakened the cohesion of the federal system and complicated the country’s ability to formulate a unified national position on security and foreign relations.

The danger is that the combination of constitutional uncertainty, electoral deadlock and competing regional interests could leave Somalia increasingly vulnerable to the very geopolitical rivalries the president says he wants to prevent.

Security transition and dependence on foreign forces

Hassan Sheikh also discussed Somalia’s internal security challenges and the gradual transfer of responsibility from African Union forces to Somali security institutions.

He said the African Union force, which initially numbered more than 20,000 personnel, had been reduced to approximately 11,000. He acknowledged the contributions of Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, Uganda and Burundi to Somalia’s security efforts.

The president said his government wanted to reduce the country’s dependence on international military support, strengthen Somali security forces, create employment opportunities for young people and prevent foreign rivalries from destabilizing the country further.

However, the transition remains complicated by funding shortages, security challenges and the political divisions undermining cooperation between the Federal Government and regional administrations.

Somalia is therefore confronting two interconnected challenges: protecting its sovereignty amid intensifying international competition and restoring the domestic political agreement necessary for a functioning federal state. Hassan Sheikh’s interview addressed the first challenge at length, but the unresolved crisis between Mogadishu and the federal member states remains central to whether the country can meet either objective.

WardheerNews

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