Tel Aviv (TDI): Israel on Friday became the first country to formally recognise Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, a move that could reshape regional dynamics in the Horn of Africa and deepen tensions with Somalia, which strongly opposes the breakaway region’s secession.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the decision, saying Israel would pursue immediate cooperation with Somaliland in agriculture, healthcare, technology and the economy. He congratulated Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, praised his leadership and invited him to visit Israel.
Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and President Abdullahi signed a joint declaration of mutual recognition, according to an Israeli government statement.
Netanyahu said the declaration was “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords,” referring to the 2020 agreements brokered by the United States during president Donald Trump’s first term, under which Israel normalised relations with several Arab states including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
President Abdullahi welcomed the recognition, saying Somaliland would join the Abraham Accords, calling the move a step toward regional and global peace. He said Somaliland was committed to building international partnerships, promoting stability, and boosting mutual prosperity across the Middle East and Africa.
Somalia’s federal government strongly condemned Israel’s decision, calling it an “unlawful step” and a “deliberate attack” on its sovereignty.
“The federal government affirms its determination to pursue all necessary diplomatic, political and legal measures, in accordance with international law, to defend its sovereignty, unity and internationally recognised borders,” Somalia’s prime minister’s office said in a statement.
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Moreover, Egypt said its foreign minister held urgent phone calls with counterparts from Somalia, Turkiye and Djibouti, warning that Israel’s move represented dangerous developments in the Horn of Africa. The ministers condemned the recognition and reaffirmed support for Somalia’s unity and territorial integrity.
The African Union also rejected Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, reiterating its “unwavering commitment” to Somalia’s territorial integrity and warning that recognition of breakaway regions risked undermining peace and stability across the continent.
Somaliland, a former British protectorate, has enjoyed de facto autonomy and relative stability since 1991, when Somalia collapsed into civil war. Despite functioning institutions, its own currency and security forces, it has never before been recognised by any country.
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Somalia has consistently lobbied international actors to block recognition of Somaliland. Officials in the breakaway region hope Israel’s move will encourage other states to follow suit, increasing Somaliland’s diplomatic standing and access to global markets.
In March, both Somalia and Somaliland denied reports that the United States or Israel had proposed resettling Palestinians from Gaza in their territories, with Mogadishu firmly rejecting any such plan.
