Israel becomes first country to recognise Somaliland
Israel became the first country to officially recognize the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state; It’s a decision that could reshape regional dynamics and test Somalia’s longstanding opposition to secession.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will seek urgent cooperation with Somaliland in the fields of agriculture, health, technology and economy.
In the statement, he congratulated Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, praised his leadership and invited him to visit Israel.
Netanyahu said that the declaration “is in line with the spirit of the Abraham Accords signed at the initiative of President (Donald) Trump.”
The 2020 agreements were brokered by Trump’s first administration and involved Israel formalizing diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, with other countries joining later.
Today I announced the official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state. We signed a joint and mutual declaration together with Minister of Foreign Affairs Sa’ar and the President of the Republic of Somaliland. This declaration carries the spirit of: pic.twitter.com/WlZuN1HB5z— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) December 26, 2025
In the statement made by Israel, it was stated that Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and the President of Somaliland signed a joint declaration of mutual recognition.
In his statement, Abdullahi stated that Somaliland will join the Abraham Accords, describing it as a step towards regional and global peace.
He said Somaliland was committed to building partnerships, enhancing mutual prosperity and promoting stability in the Middle East and Africa.
Meanwhile, Egypt said that Foreign Minister Bedr Abdelatty held phone calls with his counterparts from Somalia, Türkiye and Djibouti on Friday to discuss the developments they described as dangerous in the Horn of Africa, following Israel’s statement.
The Egyptian foreign ministry said ministers condemned Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, reaffirmed their full support for the unity and territorial integrity of Somalia, and warned that recognizing separatist regions poses a threat to international peace and security.
Somaliland has enjoyed effective autonomy and relative peace and stability since 1991, when Somalia was plunged into civil war, but the breakaway region has failed to gain recognition from any other country.
Over the years, Somalia has mobilized international actors against any country that recognizes Somaliland.
The former British protectorate hopes recognition by Israel will encourage other countries to follow suit, increasing its diplomatic weight and access to international markets.
In March, Somalia and its breakaway region Somaliland also denied receiving any offers from the United States or Israel to resettle Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
