BOSASO, Puntland (Horn Post) Puntland and the United States have signed a bilateral security cooperation agreement allowing the expansion of U.S. operations in Bosaso to strengthen counterterrorism efforts and maritime security in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Puntland and the United States signed a new bilateral security cooperation agreement on Sunday aimed at expanding counterterrorism operations and enhancing maritime security in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, according to the Puntland Presidency.
Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni, accompanied by cabinet ministers, senior military officers and advisers, met in Bosaso with a U.S. delegation led by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) Special Operations Commander Maj. Gen. Claude Tudor.
According to a statement issued by the Puntland Presidential Communications Office, the two sides discussed strengthening security cooperation, with a focus on combating terrorism and protecting strategic maritime routes.
The agreement allows the United States to expand its operational presence in Bosaso, enabling enhanced counterterrorism missions and increased maritime security activities in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Puntland said it remains committed to fighting terrorism and any threats that could undermine the security, stability and development of Puntland, Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa.
The Bosaso meeting followed the AFRICOM delegation’s visit to Hargeisa on Saturday, where Maj. Gen. Tudor held talks with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro on regional security and military cooperation.
The U.S. delegation also visited Mogadishu separately for meetings with officials of Somalia’s Federal Government, underscoring Washington’s continued engagement with multiple security partners across Somalia.
Analysis: Is the U.S. Returning to the Dual-Track Policy?
The timing of AFRICOM’s engagements in Hargeisa, Bosaso, and Mogadishu has renewed discussion over whether Washington is again implementing a version of its Dual-Track Policy, first announced in September 2010.
The original policy allowed the United States to engage simultaneously with Somalia’s Federal Government while also maintaining direct working relationships with regional administrations such as Somaliland and Puntland, particularly on security, governance and development.
Recent developments resemble several elements of that approach:
AFRICOM held high-level meetings with Somaliland’s leadership in Hargeisa.
The U.S. signed a new security cooperation agreement directly with Puntland in Bosaso.
Washington continues separate diplomatic and security engagement with Somalia’s Federal Government in Mogadishu.
However, it would be premature to conclude that the United States has formally reinstated the 2010 Dual-Track Policy.
There has been no official announcement from the U.S. government declaring a return to that policy framework. Instead, current actions may reflect a pragmatic security strategy, allowing the United States to work with multiple partners in response to evolving counterterrorism threats, maritime security concerns and regional instability.
Whether these engagements represent a formal policy shift or an operational necessity will likely become clearer if Washington issues updated policy guidance or expands direct agreements with regional authorities beyond security cooperation.
From an analytical perspective, the recent sequence of visits and agreements is consistent with the operational characteristics of the former Dual-Track Policy, but there is currently no official U.S. confirmation that the policy has been formally revived.
Pictures of Puntland, U.S. Sign Security Cooperation Agreement to Expand Bosaso Base for Counterterrorism Operations:
Prepared by:
Horn Post Staff
BOSASO, Puntland
