Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar arrived in the self-declared Republic of Somaliland on Tuesday, becoming the first senior Israeli official to visit the territory since Israel announced its formal recognition late last year. The visit marks a significant diplomatic escalation following Israel’s decision to recognise Somaliland as an independent state, a move that has triggered strong regional and international backlash.
Sa’ar’s trip comes roughly a week and a half after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly confirmed Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, a region that declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has never been recognised by the United Nations or any major international body. Israeli officials have described the visit as part of efforts to consolidate bilateral relations and lay the groundwork for cooperation in diplomatic, economic and security fields.
For Somaliland’s leadership, Israel’s recognition represents a historic breakthrough in its decades-long campaign for international legitimacy. Authorities in Hargeisa have long argued that Somaliland meets the criteria of statehood, citing its relative political stability, functioning institutions and repeated elections, particularly when compared with ongoing instability in southern Somalia. The Israeli move has been welcomed locally as a potential catalyst for wider international engagement.
However, the reaction beyond Somaliland has been overwhelmingly negative. Somalia’s federal government has condemned Israel’s decision as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, stressing that Somaliland remains an inseparable part of the Somali state under international law. Mogadishu has warned that unilateral recognition of breakaway regions undermines established international norms and risks encouraging further fragmentation in fragile states.
Arab and African countries have echoed these concerns. Egypt issued a strongly worded statement rejecting what it described as unilateral actions that infringe upon the sovereignty and unity of states, reaffirming its full support for Somalia’s territorial integrity. Cairo warned that recognition of secessionist entities outside legal and international frameworks threatens stability in the Horn of Africa, a region already facing acute security and humanitarian challenges.
Several regional powers have framed Israel’s move as destabilising. Critics argue that the decision could inflame existing tensions in the Horn of Africa and set a precedent that weakens the principle of respecting internationally recognised borders. There are also concerns that the recognition could complicate relations within the African Union, which has consistently upheld Somalia’s unity and rejected attempts to legitimise parallel or breakaway entities.
Geopolitical calculations are also central to the controversy. Analysts point to Somaliland’s strategic location along the Gulf of Aden, near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints. Israel’s engagement with Somaliland is widely seen as part of a broader effort to expand its diplomatic and security footprint in the Red Sea region amid rising competition and instability linked to conflicts in Yemen and wider regional rivalries.
In response to the unfolding developments, the African Union’s Peace and Security Council is set to convene an emergency meeting at the level of foreign ministers to discuss the implications of Israel’s recognition and Sa’ar’s visit. The issue is also expected to be raised in other regional and international forums, including Arab and United Nations bodies.
Supporters of Somaliland’s recognition argue that the territory’s relative peace and governance record justify international acknowledgment and that engagement could contribute to economic development and long-term stability. Opponents counter that bypassing Somalia’s federal authorities undermines international law and risks encouraging separatist movements elsewhere.
As Israeli and Somaliland officials hold talks during Sa’ar’s visit, the episode highlights deep divisions over sovereignty, self-determination and geopolitical influence, underscoring how a single diplomatic decision has reverberated far beyond the borders of the Horn of Africa.
