Why has Israel recognised the breakaway African state as independent?

China has joined the chorus of countries staunchly condemning Israel’s recognition of the breakaway state of Somaliland as an independent nation.

“No country should encourage or support other countries’ internal separatist forces for their own selfish interests,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters.

China announced its position before the UN Security Council convened an emergency session to discuss Israel’s decision.

Israel on Friday became the first country to recognize Somaliland as an independent republic, 30 years after the region declared independence from Somalia.

Somaliland’s president called this development a “historic moment”, but Somalia angrily rejected Israel’s move, calling it an attack on its sovereignty.

Dozens of countries and organizations such as Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and the African Union also condemned Israel’s surprise statement.

Somaliland, a separatist, semi-desert region on the Gulf of Aden, declared independence in 1991 after the overthrow of Somali military dictator Siad Barre.

The move follows a separatist struggle in which Siad Barre’s forces pursued rebel guerrillas in the region. Tens of thousands of people were killed and cities were destroyed.

Although not internationally recognized, Somaliland has a functioning political system, government institutions, police force and its own currency.

Its history as a distinct region of Somalia dates back to nineteenth-century colonial rule. It was a British protectorate known as British Somaliland until it merged with Italian Somaliland in 1960 to form the Somali Republic.

Supporters of Somaliland’s independence claim that the region is predominantly inhabited by people from the Isaaq clan, an ethnic difference from the rest of Somalia.

Somaliland, which is also home to approximately six million people, enjoys relative peace and stability. Supporters argue it should not be shackled to Somalia, long devastated by Islamist militant attacks.

However, Somalia considers Somaliland to be an integral part of its territory. The government in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, has repeatedly said that recognizing Somaliland’s independence would violate Somalia’s sovereignty.

Somali President Hasan Sheikh Mahmud also described Israel’s statement as an “existential threat” to his country’s unity.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a telephone conversation with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi on Friday that his country recognizes Somaliland’s “right to self-determination.”

He also said official recognition would be a “great opportunity to expand” the countries’ partnership.

However, analysts say Israel’s statement has strategic reasons.

“Israel needs allies in the Red Sea region for many strategic reasons, including the possibility of a future campaign against the Houthis,” the Israeli think tank Institute for National Security Studies said in an article published last month, referring to Iran-backed rebels in Yemen.

“Somaliland is an ideal candidate for such cooperation as it could offer Israel potential access to an operational area close to the conflict zone.”

In response to attacks on Israel by the Houthis, who the rebels say are in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, Israel has repeatedly struck targets in Yemen following the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023.

In response to Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, the Houthis warned that any Israeli presence in Somaliland would be considered a “military target” for their forces.

A few months ago, some news outlets reported that Israel had contacted Somaliland regarding possible resettlement of Palestinians forcibly removed from Gaza.

Israel did not comment on the reports, but Somaliland said at the time that any move by Israel to recognize its independence would have nothing to do with the Palestinian issue. Both Somalia and the Palestinian Authority have suggested that Israeli recognition of Somaliland may be linked to a plan to displace Palestinians.

“Somalia will never accept the forcible removal of the Palestinian people away from their rightful land,” Somalia’s president told parliament on Sunday. he said.

US-based Africa analyst Cameron Hudson offered his perspective to the BBC, saying Israel recognized Somaliland primarily because it was trying to counter Iran’s influence in the Red Sea region.

“The Red Sea is also a conduit for weapons and fighters to flow from the Red Sea to the Eastern Mediterranean. It has traditionally been a source of support and supply to fighters in Gaza. So having a presence, having a security presence, having an intelligence presence at the mouth of the Red Sea only serves Israel’s national security interests,” he said.

It was criticized by countries such as Israel, Egypt, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, African Union, Yemen, Sudan, Nigeria, Libya, Iran, Iraq and Qatar.

Many of these countries cited Somalia’s “territorial integrity” and violations of international principles in their condemnation.

The African Union has long worried that recognizing Somaliland could spark a chain reaction in which separatists could demand recognition of territories they claim.

“Regions may seek to form external alliances without the permission of central governments, creating a dangerous precedent that risks widespread instability,” UK-based Horn of Africa analyst Abdurahman Sayed told the BBC.

Countries considered to be Somaliland’s allies or sympathetic to the region’s recognition campaign have largely remained silent.

For example, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which operates a military port in Somaliland, did not make a statement.

Mr Hudson told the BBC that the UAE was “very much in agreement with Israel on the Somaliland issue”.

“I think even today you will see the alignment of Israeli and Emirati interests in the entire Red Sea region,” he added.

The Ethiopian government also declined to comment. Last year Somaliland agrees to lease part of its coastline to landlocked Ethiopia – A move that angered Somalia.

Abdurahman said that Türkiye stepped in to mediate between Somalia and Ethiopia. It led Ethiopia to sign an agreement with the Somali government pledging to respect its territorial integrity.

“As a result, although Israel’s unilateral recognition of Somaliland has been quietly welcomed by Ethiopia, Addis Ababa appears to have adopted a cautious “wait and see” approach,” the analyst added.

Somalis had hoped that the United States would recognize the country as an independent state, following the signals given before Donald Trump began his second term as president.

However, in response to Israel’s statement, Trump offered Israel the following: New York Post He said he would not quickly follow Netanyahu’s path.

“Does anyone know what Somaliland really is?” He reportedly said.