Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Israel has become the first country in the world to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, a landmark move that breaks with decades of international consensus and has already triggered sharp reactions across the Horn of Africa and the Middle East.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the decision on Friday, saying Israel had signed a joint declaration with Somaliland’s leadership recognizing the breakaway region’s sovereignty. In a post on X, Netanyahu said the agreement was signed alongside Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi.
Netanyahu described the step as being “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords,” referring to the U.S.-brokered normalization agreements launched during President Donald Trump’s first term. He said Israel would move quickly to establish cooperation with Somaliland in areas including agriculture, health, technology, and the economy, signaling an intention to translate diplomatic recognition into strategic and economic ties.
Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following the collapse of the central government in Mogadishu, has spent more than three decades seeking international recognition. Until Israel’s announcement, no UN member state had formally acknowledged its claim to sovereignty, despite the region operating with its own government, currency, security forces, and regular elections.
Supporters of Somaliland’s independence argue that the territory has demonstrated relative stability and effective governance compared with Somalia, which has endured years of civil war, insurgency, and political fragmentation. Analysts have often noted that Somaliland meets several criteria associated with statehood, even as the international community has remained reluctant to redraw borders in the Horn of Africa.
In recent years, Somaliland has deepened economic and strategic ties with regional and global actors, including the United Arab Emirates and Ethiopia, through port development and investment deals. These agreements have fueled tensions with Somalia’s federal government, which views Somaliland as an integral part of its territory and has repeatedly rejected any moves toward recognition.
Somaliland’s president welcomed Israel’s decision, calling it a historic moment and announcing his country’s intention to join the Abraham Accords. In a statement, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi said the move marked a step toward regional and global peace and reflected Somaliland’s desire to build partnerships that promote prosperity and stability across Africa and the Middle East. Somaliland’s foreign ministry echoed the sentiment in a social media post declaring, “Somaliland’s moment has arrived.”
The Abraham Accords, widely seen as President Trump’s signature foreign policy achievement, led to the normalization of relations between Israel and several Arab states, including the UAE, Bahrain, and Sudan. While the accords initially generated momentum, progress has slowed in recent years, and Trump has said he hopes to expand the framework during his second term.
Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, however, has drawn swift condemnation from several regional powers. Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said he held urgent phone calls with his counterparts from Somalia, Turkey, and Djibouti to discuss what they described as dangerous developments in the Horn of Africa. According to Egypt’s foreign ministry, the ministers unanimously rejected Israel’s move, reaffirmed their full support for Somalia’s unity and territorial integrity, and warned that recognizing breakaway regions threatens international peace and security.
Turkey’s foreign ministry issued a particularly strong statement, accusing Israel of interfering in Somalia’s internal affairs and linking the decision to what it described as Israel’s broader expansionist policies. Ankara said the move undermines international law and destabilizes an already fragile region.
The Somali government has long warned that any recognition of Somaliland would set a dangerous precedent, potentially encouraging separatist movements elsewhere in Africa. The issue is especially sensitive as Somalia continues to rebuild its institutions and confront militant groups such as al-Shabaab.
Israel’s decision also comes amid broader geopolitical shifts, as countries seek new alliances in strategically important regions along major shipping routes. Somaliland’s location near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical chokepoint linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, adds to its strategic significance.
As diplomatic fallout unfolds, Israel’s recognition of Somaliland marks a turning point in the region’s long-running quest for legitimacy. Whether other countries will follow Israel’s lead remains uncertain, but the move has already injected new tension into an area where questions of sovereignty, stability, and international alignment remain deeply contested.
