Israel has become the first nation to formally recognize Somaliland, the breakaway region of Somalia, as an independent state.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel intends to immediately broaden cooperation in areas including agriculture, healthcare, and technology. Somaliland’s President, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, hailed the development as “a historic moment.”
Israel’s recognition could potentially encourage other countries to follow suit, thereby enhancing Somaliland’s diplomatic standing and facilitating access to international markets.
Somalia’s Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Barre, asserted that his country categorically rejects what he described as a deliberate infringement upon its sovereignty by Israel.
President Abdullahi announced in a statement that Somaliland would be joining the Abraham Accords, characterizing it as a step towards fostering regional and global peace.
He further added that Somaliland is committed to cultivating partnerships, promoting shared prosperity, and enhancing stability across the Middle East and Africa.
The decision has drawn condemnation from the foreign ministers of Somalia, Egypt, Turkey, and Djibouti, who jointly affirmed their “total rejection” of Israel’s announcement in a released statement.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated on X that the two countries had agreed to establish “full diplomatic ties, which will include the appointment of ambassadors and the opening of embassies.”
“I have directed my ministry to take immediate action to institutionalize relations between the two countries across a wide spectrum of sectors,” he noted.
Concurrently, Egypt’s Foreign Minister engaged in separate telephone conversations with his counterparts in Somalia, Turkey, and Djibouti to discuss various issues, including Israel’s declaration.
In a formal statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry conveyed that the four nations reaffirmed their dedication to Somalia’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. They also cautioned against unilateral actions that could potentially destabilize the region or create what they termed “parallel entities” to Somalia’s existing state institutions.
Furthermore, they contended that recognizing the independence of regions within sovereign states would establish a perilous precedent under international law and the United Nations Charter.
The statement further emphasized that the ministers reiterated their opposition to any schemes aimed at displacing Palestinians from their homeland.
For years, Israel has sought to strengthen its relations with nations in the Middle East and Africa; however, recent conflicts, including those in Gaza and involving Iran, have been perceived as hindrances to democratic progress.
Landmark agreements reached late in former President Trump’s first term in 2020, known as the Abraham Accords, witnessed several countries, including the Muslim-majority United Arab Emirates and Morocco, normalizing their relations with Israel, with additional countries joining subsequently.
Somaliland occupies a strategic position on the Gulf of Aden and possesses its own currency, passports, and police force. Established in 1991 following a war of independence against former dictator General Siad Barre, it has faced decades of isolation.
With a population nearing six million, the self-declared republic has recently been central to various regional disputes involving Somalia, Ethiopia, and Egypt.
Last year, an agreement between landlocked Ethiopia and Somaliland to lease a portion of coastline for a port and military base provoked opposition from Somalia.
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