MANDA BAY — The United States and Kenya have launched a $71 million initiative to upgrade the airfield at Manda Bay, a facility situated directly adjacent to the Somali border.
While the project focuses on infrastructure in Kenya, analysts view the move as part of a major strategic realignment by US Africa Command (AFRICOM) to encircle Al-Shabaab threats originating from Somalia, while simultaneously reducing reliance on Djibouti.
Countering Threats from Somalia
The expansion involves extending the runway to 10,000 feet, allowing the base to support large cargo and military aircraft. This capability is designed to boost refueling options and rapid security responses for operations targeting militants in the Horn of Africa.
General Dagvin R.M. Anderson of AFRICOM noted that the project strengthens the security alliance against regional threats. The base, which was the site of a deadly 2020 attack by Al-Shabaab, is critical for US forward logistics in its campaign to stabilize Somalia.
Regional Implications
The dual focus on Manda Bay (near southern Somalia) and potentially Berbera (in the north) suggests a strategy to secure access to the Somali coastline from both ends, bypassing the political uncertainty and financial instability currently affecting Djibouti.
For Mogadishu, this signals a hardening of the US military footprint on its borders, merging security objectives against Al-Shabaab with broader geopolitical competition for control of the Red Sea and Indian Ocean corridors.
