From Hargeisa to Jerusalem: Somaliland's historic diplomatic breakthrough

Somaliland's President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi met Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem on Sunday, in what marks the breakaway territory's first-ever state visit to a foreign country, and a milestone in the unlikely but deepening partnership between the two nations.

Israel became the first country in the world to recognise Somaliland as an "independent and sovereign state" on December 26, 2025, following the territory's 1991 secession from Somalia — a declaration that went unrecognised internationally for over three decades.

"For 35 years, Somaliland has been trying to establish contact with world leaders," President Abdullahi said. "They asked for one thing only: to see us. Only one country wished to see us and recognise Somaliland: the Israeli government and its people."

For Israel, the partnership carries clear strategic logic. Herzog highlighted shared concerns: "We both face the threat of radical extremism. 

We both seek security and stability in the Horn of Africa. We both recognise the importance of protecting freedom of maritime navigation", a pointed reference to the Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping that have disrupted global trade routes running past Somaliland's coastline.

Somaliland possesses its own currency, passport and army, and occupies a strategically vital position on the Gulf of Aden. Despite these attributes of statehood, it has struggled to gain international recognition, with most countries reluctant to antagonise Somalia or encourage separatist movements elsewhere in Africa.

The visit follows Israel's appointment of its first ambassador to Somaliland and a January trip by Foreign Minister Gideon Saar to the territory, a visit Somalia condemned as an "unauthorised incursion."