Israel becomes first country to recognise Somaliland as a sovereign state
On 26 December 2025, Israel became the first United Nations member state to officially recognise Somaliland as a sovereign state. The recognition followed approximately a year of dialogue, culminating in a signed agreement to establish full diplomatic relations including embassies and ambassadors.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and governs the north-west region of Somalia, bordering Djibouti to the north and Ethiopia to the west and south. Despite its self-declared independence, it had not received formal recognition from any UN member states until Israel's announcement.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar officially announced the recognition and instructed the foreign ministry to institutionalise ties. Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi responded by expressing intent to visit Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office released a video of a call with Abdullahi describing the relationship as historic and framed the move as aligned with the spirit of the Abraham Accords.
Analysts suggest that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland could have strategic significance due to Somaliland’s proximity to Yemen, potentially enabling Israel to enhance intelligence and operational capabilities against the Houthi movement. This is further connected to regional security dynamics, as Somaliland hosts a United Arab Emirates military base in Berbera, which includes a port and an airstrip, linking the recognition to the UAE’s anti-Houthi campaign.
The United States holds a reportedly divided stance on recognising Somaliland, given its presence of troops in Somalia supporting local forces against al-Shabaab and concerns that recognition might complicate U.S. relations with Somalia.
Somaliland’s population is slightly over 6.2 million. The region has experienced peaceful transfers of power but has seen erosion of political rights and civic space, with reports from Freedom House noting repression of journalists and opposition figures.
