Somaliland, which declared itself an independent country separate from Somalia, has announced that it will allow the United States to mine minerals and establish a military base in its territory.

Somaliland, which has recently faced intense opposition and controversy over its first recognition of its statehood by Israel, has expressed its willingness to the United States as part of its efforts to gain recognition from more countries.

Somaliland’s government minister, Khadar Hossein Abdi, told the French news agency AFP that his country was willing to allow the United States to mine minerals and establish a military base.

“We are willing to grant the United States a special license to mine minerals. Our door is also open to them having a military base,” he said, expressing Somaliland’s interest.

Minister Khadar added that he hoped that "we will reach an agreement with the United States on some issues."

Israel's closest ally, the United States, has not yet decided whether to recognize Somaliland. However, officials in the US government are pushing for recognition.

The US has said that Israel's recognition of Somaliland is its own right, and President Trump has said that he will not take the same step, despite pressure from some members of his Republican party.

Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi recently indicated that Israel is interested in participating in the extraction of mineral resources in his country.