Berbera Port and the New Regional Defence Equation: What the Saudi-Turkish-Pakistani Pact Could Mean for Somaliland
The new defence agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan does not include Somaliland. But its implications for Gulf security, maritime cooperation and strategic infrastructure deserve close attention in Hargeisa.
Berbera and the Emerging Regional Defence Architecture
HARGEISA — The ratification of a trilateral defence agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan adds a new dimension to the security relationships surrounding the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. For Somaliland, the development raises a practical question: how might a changing regional security environment affect the strategic value of Berbera Port?
The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed on August 7, 2026, commits the three countries to regard an armed attack against one as an attack against all. It also provides for deeper defence cooperation and collective deterrence. Turkey’s parliament approved the agreement on November 5, clearing a major domestic hurdle to its implementation.
The pact does not grant its members access to Berbera, nor does it establish a military role for Somaliland. No such arrangement has been publicly announced. Its significance lies instead in the wider regional environment it may help shape.
Berbera’s strategic value
Berbera sits along the Gulf of Aden, close to the maritime passage linking the Indian Ocean with the Red Sea. Its commercial importance has grown through investment in port infrastructure and the development of road connections toward Ethiopia.
DP World describes the port as a gateway to East Africa, with container, bulk, livestock and intermodal services. These commercial functions give Berbera relevance beyond Somaliland’s domestic economy.
A more interconnected regional defence environment could increase international attention to ports, shipping corridors, logistics facilities and maritime surveillance. But commercial infrastructure and military access are separate matters. Any security cooperation involving Berbera would require clear legal authority, transparent agreements and public accountability.
The policy challenge for Somaliland
Somaliland’s priority should be to convert geographic importance into institutional credibility. That means strengthening port governance, customs systems, maritime safety, investment protections and the capacity to coordinate with international shipping and security partners.
The government should also establish clear rules governing foreign military access, visiting forces, intelligence cooperation and the use of civilian infrastructure during emergencies.
The central issue is not whether Berbera will become part of a new military alliance. There is no evidence that it will. The question is whether Somaliland can shape the rules governing its strategic assets before external competition intensifies.
Berbera’s long-term value will depend not only on its location, but on the quality of the institutions responsible for managing it.
