Somalia’s minerals deal with a U.S. state is raising questions

Somalia’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and the U.S. state of West Virginia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). Somalia’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Dahir Shire Mohamed, signed the agreement on behalf of the Federal Government of Somalia, while Kris Warner, Secretary of the West Virginia Senate, signed on behalf of the U.S. state. The signing ceremony took place at the West Virginia State Senate building and was attended by government delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Saah Jama, along with other officials.

In a statement, the ministry said the partnership is intended to help Somalia expand its capacity to manage and develop its natural resources while attracting international investment in the country’s emerging mining sector.

The ministry’s communiqué noted that the MoU focuses on several key areas of cooperation. These include “collaboration in the exploration and extraction” of critical minerals, the development of mineral “processing and refining capacity” to increase domestic value addition, the exchange of technical expertise, and the promotion of investment and business partnerships between companies and institutions from both sides.

In a post on his official X account, Minister Shire said the partnership would “advance technical collaboration and support responsible resource development,” adding that it would also “open new opportunities for investment.”

However, the agreement has already drawn criticism from some Somalia’s officials. Mursal M. Khaliif, a member of Somalia’s Federal Parliament who serves on the Defense Committee and chairs the Bicameral Parliamentary Committee on Friendship with the United States, questioned the legitimacy of the deal. He argued that the current administration lacks the mandate to enter into such agreements because it has “less than 70 days left in office.” Khaliif warned that the other party should be aware that “the upcoming Somali parliament or government will rescind such MoUs.”

The agreement is emerging at a time when Somalia’s federal government has been attempting to court the Trump administration by highlighting the country’s potential reserves of critical minerals. This effort is widely seen as part of a broader strategy by Mogadishu to counter parallel outreach by Somaliland, which has also been promoting its own mineral resources in an attempt to attract the interest of the Trump administration. Both sides appear to view critical minerals, an increasingly important strategic resource for global technology and defense industries, as a potential avenue for gaining political and economic support from Washington.

Officials in Somaliland have repeatedly indicated that they are open to deeper cooperation with the Trump administration. Among the proposals discussed by Somaliland representatives is the possibility of granting the United States access to military facilities in the strategic port city of Berbera, as well as providing opportunities for American investment in the region’s critical mineral sector. Somaliland leaders have suggested that such cooperation could be offered in exchange for greater diplomatic engagement and even formal recognition of Somaliland’s long-claimed independence.

Meanwhile, the federal government in Mogadishu has maintained that any international agreements or strategic partnerships involving Somaliland would be considered null and void and would have “no legal standing” if they bypass the authority of Somalia’s central government. Somali officials have repeatedly stressed that foreign governments must work through the federal government on matters related to security, natural resources, and international diplomacy. Despite these objections, both Mogadishu and Hargeisa appear to be pursuing parallel efforts to attract the attention and support of the Trump administration.