Israel becomes first country to recognise Somaliland

Israel has become the first nation in the world to formally recognise Somaliland, marking a significant diplomatic breakthrough for the breakaway region in the Horn of Africa.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Friday that Israel and Somaliland had signed a joint declaration establishing full diplomatic relations, describing it as being “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords”, a set of deals brokered by the United States to establish formal ties between Israel and Arab states.

Somalia’s government released a statement hours after Israel’s announcement, calling the move an “attack” on its sovereignty and an “unlawful action”, and describing Somaliland as an “inseparable” part of the country.

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, but it has failed to gain recognition from any United Nations member state. The region controls the northwestern portion of what was once the British Protectorate in northern Somalia.

Somalia has never accepted Somaliland’s independence.

Somalia’s Foreign Minister, Abdisalam Abdi Ali, participated in a call with the foreign ministers of Egypt, Turkiye, and Djibouti, during which they reiterated their support for Somalia’s unity.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said the four countries’ top diplomats discussed how recognising the independence of a region within a sovereign country sets a “dangerous precedent” in violation of the UN Charter.

“Respect for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of states is a fundamental pillar of the stability of the international system and must not be violated or circumvented under any pretext,” the ministry said.

Netanyahu congratulated Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Abdirahman Cirro, during a video call, praising his “leadership and commitment to promoting stability and peace” and inviting him to visit Israel.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the agreement followed a year of extensive dialogue between the two governments and was based on a joint decision by Netanyahu and Cirro to establish full ties, including the appointment of ambassadors and the opening of embassies in both countries.

“We will work together to promote the relations between our countries and nations, regional stability and economic prosperity,” Saar wrote on social media, adding that he had instructed his ministry to immediately institutionalise ties across a wide range of fields.

Cirro welcomed the development as a “historic moment”, expressing readiness for Somaliland to join the Abraham Accords.

The Somaliland president said the move “marks the beginning of a strategic partnership that advances mutual interests, strengthens regional peace and security, and delivers shared benefits to all stakeholders”.

‘Complex’ issue

The recognition represents a dramatic shift in Somaliland’s fortunes after years of diplomatic isolation.

The region seceded from Somalia during a brutal civil war that followed decades under the authoritarian government of Siad Barre, whose forces devastated the north. While large parts of Somalia descended into chaos, Somaliland stabilised by the late 1990s.

Somaliland has developed a distinct political identity from Somalia, with its own currency, flag, and parliament. But its eastern regions remain disputed by communities who do not back the separatist programme in the capital Hargeisa.

In recent years, Somaliland developed ties with the United Arab Emirates – a signatory to the Abraham Accords – and Taiwan as it sought international acceptance.

Prominent figures within US President Donald Trump’s Republican Party, including Senator Ted Cruz, have been vocal advocates for deepened ties between Somaliland and Israel. Cruz has repeatedly urged the US to recognise Somaliland.

In August, Trump signalled that he was preparing to move on the issue when asked about Somaliland during a White House news conference. “Another complex one, but we’re working on that one, Somaliland,” he said.

The US, as yet, has not changed its position on the issue.

The announcement comes amid dampening US interest in Somalia, with Trump repeatedly carrying out verbal attacks on the country and its president.

Earlier this year, reports emerged linking potential recognition of Somaliland to plans for ethnically cleansing Palestinians in Gaza and forcibly moving them to African region.

The foreign ministers of Egypt, Turkiye, Somalia and Djibouti warned against such a move during their call earlier.

“The participants also affirmed their categorical rejection of any plans to displace the Palestinian people from their land, plans that are unequivocally rejected by the vast majority of the world’s nations in both form and substance,” the Egyptian Foriegn Ministry said.

In 2024, Ethiopia also sought a pact with Somaliland, offering recognition in exchange for sea access for Addis Ababa, but backed down under diplomatic pressure.

Jethro Norman, a Somalia expert at the Danish Institute for International Studies, told Al Jazeera that it was unclear whether this development would prompt other countries to follow suit, but it could “embolden other centrifugal forces” in a politically fragmented nation.

Somalia operates a federal system granting significant autonomy to its states. Two key states, Puntland and Jubaland, have withdrawn from the system amid constitutional and electoral disputes.

In a post on X, Puntland’s interior minister said patience pays off, signaling that he viewed the development favourably. “Puntland needs to calculate strategically,” Juha Farah said.

“Basically, you already have a series of de facto states, and Israel’s message is that if you provide strategic value, recognition becomes transactional rather than principled,” he added.