Somalia has vehemently denounced Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s official visit to the breakaway region of Somaliland, characterizing the diplomatic mission as an “unauthorized incursion” into its sovereign territory. The high-profile arrival on Tuesday marks the first ministerial-level engagement since Israel extended formal recognition to Somaliland last month—a landmark decision for the self-declared republic that separated from Somalia in 1991.
Despite maintaining its own government, currency, and military forces, Somaliland has struggled to achieve broad international acknowledgment due to concerns about encouraging separatist movements across Africa. The region’s strategic positioning along the critical shipping lanes of the Gulf of Aden has attracted foreign interest, with Israel potentially gaining improved access to the Red Sea and enhanced capabilities against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
During joint press conferences, Israeli officials described the recognition as “the moral thing to do,” while Somaliland President Abdirahman Abdullahi Mohamed praised the move as “courageous” and anticipated significant economic and development opportunities. However, Somalia’s foreign ministry asserted its right to pursue “all appropriate diplomatic and legal measures” to protect its territorial integrity, receiving support from the African Union Peace and Security Council which strongly condemned Israel’s recognition and demanded its immediate revocation.
The diplomatic development has drawn mixed international reactions, with the United States supporting Israel’s position while Egypt, Turkey, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation expressed criticism. The European Union emphasized the importance of respecting Somalia’s sovereignty. Adding to regional tensions, the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab has threatened to combat any Israeli military presence in Somaliland, potentially escalating security challenges in the volatile Horn of Africa region.
Historical context reveals that Somaliland briefly existed as an independent state in June 1960 after gaining independence from Britain before voluntarily uniting with Italian-administered Somalia. Somaliland leadership contends this union was never properly ratified and became invalid following Somalia’s governmental collapse in 1991.