Somaliland and Israel start reciprocal visits, angering Mogadishu

Somaliland and Israel start reciprocal visits, angering Mogadishu

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar visited Somaliland, the breakaway region of Somalia, on Tuesday, ten days after Israel formally recognised the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent state.

Senior Somaliland officials said that Saar met Somaliland's President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi and discussed ways to enhance bilateral ties. 

Israel formally recognised the breaking-away region of Somalia Somaliland as a sovereign state on 27 December, a move that drew criticism from most African countries, including Somalia, which has long opposed Somaliland's efforts to secede.

 The Somali Foreign Ministry denounced an "unauthorised incursion" into Somalia. Mogadishu considers this self-proclaimed republic, which Israel recently recognised, to be part of its territory.

The Somali Foreign Ministry this criticised Gideon Saar's visit  as "a serious violation of Somalia's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political unity", and "unacceptable interference in the country's internal affairs," stating that Somaliland is "an inalienable part of internationally recognised Somali territory."

New relations expanding on the Abraham Accords

Abdullahi had suggested last month that Somaliland join the Abraham Accords, a deal brokered by the Trump administration in 2020 that saw Gulf states, the United Arab Emirates — a close partner of Somaliland — and Bahrain establish ties with Israel.

Israel's decision to recognise Somaliland follows two years of increasingly strained ties with many of its closest partners over the war in Gaza and policies in the West Bank.

Analysts believe that an alliance with Somaliland is particularly advantageous for Israel because of its strategic position on the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, facing the Houthi rebels of Yemen, supported by Iran, who have carried out numerous attacks against Israel since the beginning of the war in Gaza.

The Israeli foreign minister said in a statement that “unlike ‘Palestine,’ Somaliland is not a virtual state, it is a functioning state."

"Somaliland is a fully operational country founded on the principles of international law," he added. "Somaliland is – and has been – a stable democracy for almost 35 years," and "it is pro-Western and a friend of Israel.”

A strategic location  

Somaliland was for most of the twentiest century a British protectorate while the rest of Somalia was colonised by Italy, until the country's independence in 1960.

The territory lies in northwestern Somalia along the strategic Gulf of Aden and shares land borders with Ethiopia and Djibouti.

Somalilanders joined the new state of Somalia but kept the English-speaking habits and different administrative habits. Since the fall of authoritarian leader Siad Barré, it declared independence and has since sought formal recognition as an independent state for decades, signing bilateral agreements with various foreign governments on investments and security coordination.

Since its declaration of independence in 1991, no other country had formally recognised Somaliland.

What's ahead

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel would pursue cooperation with Somaliland in agriculture, health, technology, and the economy, and has invited Somaliland's president to visit Israel.

The region sits across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen, where Iran-backed Houthis have launched long-range missile and drone attacks on Israel since October 2023, as part of the Gaza war.

Israel's government has advocated for what officials describe as voluntary Palestinian migration from Gaza. But Somaliland has denied that the Israel recognition agreement allows it to establish military bases, or to resettle Palestinians from Gaza in the region.

Somaliland’s president will head to Jerusalem next week.

-

Read also my piece from December 2024:

With a new president, Somaliland seeks international recognition