Israel’s recognition of Somaliland sparks widespread outrage

JERUSALEM / MOGADISHU –

Israel became the first country on Friday to formally recognise the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, a move that has provoked widespread condemnation from Somalia, regional powers, and international organisations, raising fears of heightened tensions in the Horn of Africa.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would seek immediate cooperation with Somaliland in agriculture, health, technology, and the economy. In a statement, he congratulated Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, praised his leadership and invited him to visit Israel. Netanyahu said the declaration “is in the spirit of the Abraham Accords, signed at the initiative of President Trump.”

Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, and Somaliland’s president signed a joint declaration of mutual recognition, the Israeli statement said. Abdullahi added in a statement that Somaliland would join the Abraham Accords, calling it a step toward regional and global peace. He said Somaliland was committed to building partnerships, boosting mutual prosperity, and promoting stability across the Middle East and Africa.

But Somalia’s federal government condemned Israel’s move as an “unlawful step” and a “deliberate attack” on its sovereignty, rejecting any recognition of Somaliland.

“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,” the statement said.

Egypt said Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held phone calls on Friday with his counterparts from Somalia, Turkey and Djibouti to discuss what they described as dangerous developments in the Horn of Africa following Israel’s announcement.

The ministers “condemned Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, reaffirmed their full support for Somalia’s unity and territorial integrity, and warned that recognising breakaway regions posed a threat to international peace and security,” Egypt’s foreign ministry said.

The African Union also rejected any recognition of Somaliland, reaffirming its “unwavering commitment” to Somalia’s unity and territorial integrity, and warning that such moves risked undermining peace and stability across the continent, AU Commission Chair Mahamoud Ali Youssouf said.

Somaliland has enjoyed effective autonomy, and relative peace and stability, since 1991, when Somalia descended into civil war, but the breakaway region has failed to receive recognition from any other country. Over the years, Somalia has rallied international actors against recognising Somaliland.

The former British protectorate hopes recognition by Israel will encourage other nations to follow suit, increasing its diplomatic influence and access to international markets. A deal last year between landlocked Ethiopia and Somaliland to lease a stretch of coastline for a port and military base had already enraged Somalia.

Israel’s move may reflect strategic considerations in the Red Sea region. “Israel requires allies in the Red Sea region for many strategic reasons, among them the possibility of a future campaign against the Houthis,” the Institute for National Security Studies said last month, referring to Yemen’s Iran-backed rebels. Israel has repeatedly struck Houthi targets in Yemen since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023.

In a video showing Netanyahu speaking to Abdullahi by telephone, the Israeli leader said: “I am very, very happy and I am very proud of this day and I want to wish you and the people of Somaliland the very, very best.”

Somaliland, which maintains its own currency, passports, and army, has been diplomatically isolated since unilaterally declaring independence. Analysts note that Israel’s recognition could provide economic and diplomatic opportunities, but may also inflame tensions in the region.

Several other countries and organisations have condemned Israel’s move. Turkey called it “overt interference in Somalia’s domestic affairs,” describing the initiative as “aligned with [Israel’s] expansionist policy.” The Palestinian Authority said Israel had previously named Somaliland “as a destination for the forced displacement of our Palestinian people, particularly from the Gaza Strip,” warning against “complicity” in such a move.

Asked whether the United States planned to recognise Somaliland, former President Donald Trump said “no” and added: “Does anyone know what Somaliland is, really?”

The announcement comes amid a broader Israeli push to expand its diplomatic ties across the Middle East and Africa. Historic agreements brokered during Trump’s first term in 2020, known as the Abraham Accords, saw several Muslim-majority countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Morocco, normalise relations with Israel.

While Netanyahu framed the recognition as an economic and diplomatic opportunity, analysts caution that it risks igniting political tensions, testing Somalia’s long-standing opposition to secession and setting a precedent for other breakaway regions in Africa. Somaliland remains deeply impoverished, and international recognition would significantly affect its access to aid, investment and global markets.