Not exactly out of the blue, but still surprising, Israel recognized Somaliland as a sovereign state. It is a de facto independent country Horn of Africa within the internationally recognized Somalia, whose government in Mogadishu firmly rejects the breakaway region's independence. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said on state television: "Somalia will use all available means to oppose Israeli aggression through diplomatic channels."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to have surprised even his most important ally, US President Donald Trump. "Recognition of Somaliland, at least right now, is not an issue that is on the agenda of the United States," Trump said in a telephone interview with New York Post. And he asked: "Does anyone know what Somaliland really is?"
What exactly is Somaliland?
Today's Somaliland, which is part of Somalia according to international law, largely coincides with the former British colony of the same name. After the overthrow of the Somali government in Mogadishu in 1991, the northern part of the country with the capital Hargeisa declared independence.
The constitution of the "Republic of Somaliland" envisages a democratic state order based on Sharia; Islam is the state religion. Despite regional strife among clans, the area is considered the most politically stable part of Somalia, thanks to solid state structures in terms of security forces, education and democratic processes. The influence of the Islamist terrorist group al-Shabaab is considered small.
Socio-economically, the area does not fare much better than the surrounding countries. The majority of the population traditionally lives from animal husbandry. In addition, the port of Berbera in the Gulf of Aden and remittances from Somalis living abroad are the most important economic factors.
Why has Somaliland not been recognized as a sovereign state for a long time?
"This recognition is not only a diplomatic milestone, but also a moment of great historical justice and moral clarity," Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Adam told the Israeli channel. Kan. Both political scientists and experts in international law claim that Somaliland meets all the criteria of an independent state: population, defined state territory, government and the ability to establish relations with other states. However, almost all countries deny it international recognition.
Members of the African Union (AU) refuse to recognize Somaliland based on their doctrine that national borders on the continent must not be changed. Background: the borders of African countries are mainly based on colonial divisions. In doing so, the political order before colonization was hardly taken into account. Because of this, ethnic tensions and territorial aspirations are almost ubiquitous. The fear is that moving one border could set off a chain reaction.
Although the government of Somaliland, unlike others in the region, is considered pro-Western, NATO countries, including the US, expressly refuse recognition. The reason: it is feared that this would weaken the government in Mogadishu in relation to the Islamist militia Al-Shabaab.
For China, Somalia is a partner and a stronghold of the so-called "New Silk Road". In addition, China rejects separatist movements around the world, for fear of setting a precedent for separatists in its own provinces. Even the de facto independent "Republic of China" on the island of Taiwan, which has been allied with Somaliland since 2020, is not recognized by any world-relevant country. On Monday, a foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing reiterated: "No country should, for its own selfish interests, encourage or support the internal separatist forces of other countries."
Since Soviet times, Russia has maintained close relations with Somalia and avoided conflict with the African Union. Russia treats separatist aspirations strictly according to its own interests. Thus, the Russian government recognizes the "republics" of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Lugansk and Donetsk.
What kind of international relations does Somaliland have?
Somaliland has been struggling for international recognition since independence. It maintains the closest relations with neighboring Ethiopia. Africa's second most populous country, with more than 130 million inhabitants, has been fighting for safe access to the sea since Eritrea's independence in 1993. In January 2024, Ethiopia and Somaliland signed a memorandum under which Addis Ababa would be willing to recognize Somaliland as an independent state in exchange for access to the Red Sea.
Some countries of the European Union, as well as the USA and Great Britain, maintain limited political contacts with Somaliland and have modest cooperation in the field of development policy. After the recognition by Israel, they however emphasize the need for national unity of Somalia.
The United Arab Emirates and Somaliland are linked by military cooperation. The Emirates did not join the joint statement, in which more than 20 predominantly Muslim countries, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, condemned Israel's move. Apparently, the Persian Gulf state wants to increase its influence in the Horn of Africa.
The Gulf of Aden, which connects to the Suez Canal, is one of the most important shipping routes for world trade. However, Houthi rebels, who control southern Yemen, as well as Somali pirates, have made it one of the most dangerous sea routes in the world.
Why did Israel recognize Somaliland?
According to a representative of the Israeli government, the recognition was given "in the spirit" of the Abraham Accords. In 2020, US President Trump mediated the conclusion of those agreements, and they are aimed at the political rapprochement of Israel and several mainly Muslim countries (UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan). Other Arab states also wanted to follow Israel's example, but in the light of the war in Gaza, this was stopped. Saudi Arabia has officially suspended the process.
For Israel, allies in the region are a key security factor, and that is why the country pays special attention to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, especially since the Houthi rebels, who are hostile to Israel, have significant influence there.
Observers associate Israel's recognition of Somalialand with plans for the permanent resettlement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, which Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu presented in February 2025. According to media reports, Somalia and Sudan are mentioned as possible places for settlement. While the Sudanese government said it rejected such a request, the governments of Somalia and Somaliland claim they were not aware of such initiatives. However, Somaliland's foreign minister stressed on Sunday that the government in Hargeisa has not agreed to plans to settle people from the Gaza Strip in Somaliland.
Israel's recognition at this time is particularly sensitive, as Somalia takes over the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council in early 2026, which held an emergency session on the subject on Monday.
