Keypoints:
- Israel becomes first country to recognise Somaliland
- African Union firmly rejects move, backing Somalia’s unity
- Regional tensions rise across the Horn of Africa
ISRAEL has become the first country to formally recognise Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, a dramatic diplomatic shift that has drawn strong condemnation from the African Union and key regional powers.
The announcement was confirmed on Friday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said the decision was taken ‘in the spirit of the Abraham Accords’ and marked the start of a new strategic partnership. Israel, he said, would immediately expand cooperation with Somaliland in agriculture, health and technology, signalling a deeper push into Africa and the Red Sea corridor.
Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, described the recognition as ‘a historic moment’ for the self-declared republic, which has operated as a de facto state since 1991 but has never before been recognised by a UN member state.
In remarks reported by the BBC, Abdullahi said Somaliland would join the Abraham Accords, the normalisation framework launched in 2020 that brought countries including the United Arab Emirates and Morocco into formal relations with Israel. He said the move reflected Somaliland’s commitment to peace, partnership and shared prosperity across Africa and the Middle East.
Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, said the two sides had agreed to establish full diplomatic relations, including the appointment of ambassadors and the opening of embassies. He added that Israel’s foreign ministry had been instructed to move swiftly to institutionalise ties across multiple sectors.
African Union draws a firm line
The move has been met with unequivocal rejection from the African Union. The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, said he had taken note ‘with deep concern’ of developments relating to Somaliland and reaffirmed the AU’s longstanding position on Somalia’s territorial integrity.
In a statement, Youssouf said the African Union ‘firmly rejects any initiative or action aimed at recognising Somaliland as an independent entity’, stressing that Somaliland remains an integral part of the Federal Republic of Somalia. He said any attempt to undermine Somalia’s unity and sovereignty ran counter to the principles of the AU’s Constitutive Act, particularly the respect for borders inherited at independence as affirmed by the 1964 decision of the Organization of African Unity.
The AU chair warned that recognising breakaway regions would set a dangerous precedent with far-reaching implications for peace and stability across the continent. He reiterated the AU’s ‘unwavering commitment’ to Somalia’s unity and its full support for Somali authorities as they work to consolidate peace, strengthen state institutions and advance inclusive governance.
Regional backlash intensifies
Somalia and several of its allies have also rejected Israel’s decision. The foreign ministers of Somalia, Egypt, Türkiye and Djibouti issued a joint statement affirming their ‘total rejection’ of the recognition and warning that it risked destabilising the Horn of Africa.
Türkiye’s foreign ministry was particularly blunt. Spokesperson Oncu Keceli described the move as unlawful and as ‘clear interference in Somalia’s internal affairs’, accusing the Netanyahu government of pursuing policies aimed at creating instability at regional and global levels. He said decisions about Somaliland’s future must reflect ‘the will of all Somalis’.
Egypt said its foreign minister had held separate calls with counterparts in Somalia, Türkiye and Djibouti, during which they reaffirmed support for Somalia’s sovereignty and warned against creating ‘parallel entities’ to internationally recognised state institutions.
Strategic stakes in the Horn
Somaliland sits along the Gulf of Aden, a critical maritime route linking the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean. With its own currency, passports and security forces, it has enjoyed relative stability compared with much of southern Somalia, yet has remained diplomatically isolated for more than three decades.
Analysts say Israel’s recognition could encourage other states to follow, potentially transforming Somaliland’s economic prospects while sharpening regional rivalries. With tensions already high following Ethiopia’s controversial port deal with Somaliland last year, the decision adds a new and volatile dimension to Horn of Africa geopolitics.
