Israel recognizes Republic of Somaliland, 30 years after Red Sea state declared independence from Somalia

Israel recognized the Republic of Somalia as an independent state on Friday, as the first nation on earth to recognize the small state, strategically located on the Red Sea, that broke away from Somalia some 30 years ago.

The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he “announced today the official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state.”

Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, and the President of the Republic of Somaliland signed a joint and mutual declaration to that effect, the statement said.

For those mocking why Israel would engage Somaliland: look at the map.
Somaliland sits on the Gulf of Aden, next to the Bab el-Mandeb—a chokepoint for global trade and energy. Across the water are Iran-backed Houthis firing on Israel & shipping. Somaliland offers stability,… pic.twitter.com/N7o4L5T1jd
— Mark Dubowitz (@mdubowitz) December 26, 2025

The president of Somaliland, Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdallahi, praised the “historic moment” and “warmly” welcomed Israel’s recognition, while announcing his country is ready to join the Abraham Accords normalization agreement.

Somaliland's government is based in the city of Hargeisa, and claims a territory of some 176,120 square kilometers (68,000 sq mi) with a population of about 6 million, mostly Muslim residents.

The breakaway state declared its independence in 1991, following a war with the central government of Somalia; however, while several countries have maintained informal relations, Somaliland has not been recognized by any UN member state until now.

The Prime Minister announced today the official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Sa'ar, and the President of the Republic of Somaliland signed a joint and mutual declaration. pic.twitter.com/M0AeTs5oxY
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) December 26, 2025

“This step marks the beginning of a strategic partnership that advances mutual interests, strengthens regional peace and security, and delivers shared benefits to all stakeholders, without prejudice to any party,” said Abdallahi.

Netanyahu praised Abdallahi’s “leadership and commitment to promoting stability and peace,” and “invited the President to pay an official visit to Israel.”

“The State of Israel plans to immediately expand its relations with the Republic of Somaliland through extensive cooperation in the fields of agriculture, health, technology, and economy,” Netanyahu’s statement noted.

This is a historic moment as we warmly welcome @netanyahu the Prime Minister of the State of Israel’s recognition of the Republic of Somaliland and affirm Somaliland’s readiness to join the Abraham Accords. This step marks the beginning of a strategic partnership that advances… pic.twitter.com/z48DNZKr5q
— Cabdiraxmaan Cirro (@Abdirahmanirro) December 26, 2025

According to i24 News, Foreign Minister Sa’ar and Somaliland representatives met in a third country in April to pave the way for recognition. Since then, Sa’ar has continued to lead the new efforts and continued to cultivate the relations, culminating in Friday’s announcement.

“Over the past year, based on an extensive and ongoing dialogue, relations between Israel and Somaliland have taken shape,” said Sa’ar.

The agreement includes “the appointment of ambassadors and the opening of embassies,” vowing Israel and Somaliland would “work together to promote the relations between our countries and nations, regional stability and economic prosperity,” he added.

Located in a highly strategic location – on the Red Sea opposite Yemen and between Djibouti and Somalia, and near the Bab el-Mandab straits – normalized relations with Somaliland offer various potential benefits to Israel.

The fledgling country has maintained close relations with the United Arab Emirates, which has supported it against Turkey-backed Somalia.

Unlike most of the countries surrounding it, Somaliland has a stable and democratic political system and a relatively robust economy.

In the past, reports have suggested that Israel had been negotiating to establish a military presence in Somaliland to counter the threat from the Houthis in Yemen.

In addition, Somaliland was floated as a potential destination for Gaza's refugees, with some reports suggesting that the arrangement could be accepted in return for recognition by Israel and/or the U.S.

Somaliland’s neighbors, Djibouti and Somalia – as well as Egypt and Turkey – condemned Israel’s recognition, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry stated following a joint call.

“The ministers affirmed their total rejection and condemnation of Israel’s recognition of the Somaliland region, stressing their full support for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia,” Egypt said.

The Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council also condemned Israel for the move.

The announcement apparently also drew some internal criticism within Israel, as Channel 12 News cited a “senior official” who said that recognition of a breakaway state could undermine Israel’s position vis-à-vis a Palestinian state.

Celebrations in Somaliland after Israel recognised it as a sovereign state https://t.co/bAWiKgXuZM
— Guy Elster גיא אלסטר (@guyelster) December 26, 2025

The unnamed official reportedly emphasized that the rest of the world still considers Somaliland an integral part of Somalia, weakening Israel’s arguments against international recognition of a Palestinian state.

However, in Somaliland, crowds celebrated Israel's recognition. Ahmed Jama Shire, who has served as Somaliland's diplomatic representative in South Africa, told Kan News that the nation has waited a long time for recognition.

"The people in Somaliland are celebrating in the capital, Hargeisa and in the other cities. I want to express my appreciation to the people in Israel. The relationship that began today is based on security, economy, education, and many sectors," he said.

סומלילנד חוגגת https://t.co/yhYcVtVusQ pic.twitter.com/RNNsTPxCtD
— roi kais • روعي كايس • רועי קייס (@kaisos1987) December 26, 2025

Responding to the criticism from Arab nations, Shire said, "The Israeli recognition of Somaliland should not be a concern of Somalia because from our perspective, we are an independent country that is disconnected from Somalia, so their complaints are not understood."