MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia and the African Union has reacted angrily after Israel became the first country to formally recognise the northern region of Somaliland as an independent state, prompting widespread condemnation across Africa and beyond.
The historic but controversial decision by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has drawn sharp criticism from Somalia, which called it a “deliberate attack” on its sovereignty that would undermine regional peace. The move also sparked celebrations in Somaliland’s capital, Hargeisa, where crowds took to the streets carrying the breakaway state’s flag.
International backlash
The African Union swiftly rejected Israel’s recognition, warning that it risked “setting a dangerous precedent with far-reaching implications for peace and stability across the continent.” AU head Mahamoud Ali Youssouf emphasized that Somaliland “remains an integral part” of Somalia, an AU member state.
Turkey, a close ally of Somalia, condemned the move as “overt interference in Somalia’s domestic affairs,” describing it as part of Israel’s “expansionist policy.” Egypt’s top diplomat coordinated with counterparts from Turkey, Somalia and Djibouti to emphasise “full support for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia.”
The Palestinian Authority also rejected the recognition, noting on social media that Israel had previously named Somaliland “as a destination for the forced displacement of our Palestinian people, particularly from the Gaza Strip.”
Strategic calculations
Netanyahu’s office said the decision was made “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords,” referring to agreements brokered during Donald Trump’s first presidency that normalized ties between Israel and several Arab nations. The Israeli leader invited Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi to visit Israel.
When asked by the New York Post whether the United States planned to also recognize Somaliland, Trump responded “no,” adding, “Does anyone know what Somaliland is, really?”
Abdullahi hailed Israel’s decision as a “historic moment” that marked the beginning of a “strategic partnership.” In a video call with Netanyahu, the Israeli leader expressed optimism about economic opportunities the relationship could bring.
Regional security interests
Israel’s move appears driven by strategic security considerations in the Red Sea region. The Institute for National Security Studies noted last month that “Israel requires allies in the Red Sea region for many strategic reasons, among them the possibility of a future campaign against the Houthis.”
Israel has repeatedly targeted Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis since the Gaza war began in October 2023, responding to rebel attacks that the group said were in solidarity with Palestinians. The attacks ceased when a fragile truce began in Gaza in October.
Somaliland’s quest for recognition
Somaliland, a self-proclaimed republic with its own currency, passports and army, declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has remained diplomatically isolated. The territory enjoys a strategic position on the Gulf of Aden but lacks access to foreign loans, aid and investment due to its unrecognised status, leaving it deeply impoverished.
President Abdullahi has made international recognition a top priority since taking office last year. However, a controversial deal between landlocked Ethiopia and Somaliland last year to lease coastline for a port and military base further enraged Somalia.
Broader diplomatic context
Israel has been working to expand relations across the Middle East and Africa, building on the Abraham Accords that saw the UAE, Morocco and other Muslim-majority countries normalize ties in 2020. However, wars that have stoked Arab anger, particularly in Gaza, have complicated recent efforts to expand diplomatic ties further.
The recognition of Somaliland represents Israel’s most significant diplomatic gambit in Africa since those historic agreements, though it comes at the cost of relations with Somalia and much of the African continent.
ALSO READ: South African protesters demand that government sever ties with Israel over Gaza
