Israel becomes first country to recognise Somaliland as independent state

Israel has become the first country to formally recognise the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, following the signing of a joint declaration on December 26, Israeli officials said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would seek immediate cooperation with Somaliland in agriculture, health, technology and the economy, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

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.”

The Abraham Accords, brokered by the Trump administration in 2020, led to Israel formalising diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, with other countries joining the framework in subsequent years.

According to an Israeli government statement, Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and President Abdullahi signed a joint declaration of mutual recognition.

In his own statement, Abdullahi said Somaliland would join the Abraham Accords, describing the move as 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.

Somaliland has enjoyed effective autonomy and relative peace and stability since 1991, when Somalia descended into civil war. However, despite maintaining its own government, security forces and institutions, the breakaway region has not previously received formal recognition from any country.

Somalia has consistently opposed international recognition of Somaliland and has lobbied global and regional actors against any move to acknowledge its independence.

By Sabina Mammadli