A long-simmering crisis of governance has erupted across Djibouti, as citizens take to the streets to defy the authoritarian regime of President Ismail Omar Guelleh. Having ruled since 1999, Guelleh has methodically consolidated power—abolishing term limits, crushing political opposition, and co-opting the judiciary and media to create a de facto one-party state. While his government is fortified by lucrative foreign military alliances, it has met domestic dissent with internet blackouts, arbitrary detentions, and well-documented human rights abuses, cultivating a climate of impunity for the elite and fear for the populace.
Now, that fear is turning into fury. Propelled by rampant unemployment, a paralyzing economic crisis, and a deep-seated hunger for democracy, protesters are confronting security forces in a bold assertion of their right to determine the nation’s future.
This uprising represents a fundamental rupture. The implicit bargain of political stability in exchange for public silence has broken. “We are tired of being silenced,” declared one demonstrator, a sentiment echoing throughout the crowds. As barricades rise and voices swell, the world watches to see whether this groundswell of popular courage can dislodge one of Africa’s most enduring autocracies
Mr. Hersi Ali Haji Hassan , tells Al Jazeera that Hargeisa had ‘no choice’ but to seek recognition from Tel Aviv after 34 years of isolation.
A senior official from Somaliland’s governing party ( Chairman)has fiercely defended the decision to normalise relations with Israel, dismissing widespread condemnation from the Arab and Muslim world as hypocritical.
In a heated interview with Al Jazeera Mubasher on Wednesday, Hersi Ali Haji Hassan, chairman of the ruling Waddani party, argued that Somaliland was forced to look to Israel for legitimacy after being ignored by the international community for decades..
The comments follow a controversial visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar to Hargeisa, the region’s largest city and “capital”, earlier this week – the first since Israel recognised the region’s independence in late December.
“We are not in a position to choose,” Hassan told Al Jazeera. “We are in a state of necessity for official international recognition.
“There is no choice before us but to welcome any country that recognises our existential right,” he added
MOGADISHU – The United States has suspended all assistance programs benefiting Somalia’s federal government after allegations that Somali officials looted and destroyed a World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse, seizing food aid intended for civilians, the State Department announced Wednesday.
In a statement, the department said the suspension was in response to reports of “unacceptable actions” at a U.S.-funded WFP facility. Officials stated the alleged incident involved the destruction of the warehouse and the seizure of approximately 76 metric tons of donor-funded food aid meant for vulnerable Somalis.
“The Trump Administration has a zero-tolerance policy for waste, theft, and diversion of life-saving assistance,” the State Department said, adding that all ongoing U.S. assistance programs benefiting the Somali Federal Government have been halted.
The department said any resumption of assistance would depend on Somali authorities taking responsibility for the alleged actions and implementing corrective measures. It did not specify when the incident occurred or identify the officials involved. The allegations have not been independently verified.
According to U.S. officials, the Biden administration has provided about $770 million in assistance for projects in Somalia over the past year, though only a small portion of that funding went directly to the Somali government.
Hargeisa – In its 49th weekly session chaired by President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Irro), the Somaliland Council of Ministers convened at the Presidential Palace to address critical national issues, centering on the strategic push for international recognition and the severe ongoing drought.
Key discussions and outcomes from the meeting included:
Solidifying Sovereignty and Rejecting Interference
The Cabinet strongly reaffirmed its commitment to Somaliland’s sovereignty. Ministers commended the nation’s religious leaders for their steadfast support of independence efforts and explicitly rejected what they termed as politicized external interference. In a pointed statement, the government asserted that Somaliland’s foreign policy—including recent diplomatic engagement with Israel—is a sovereign right and remains consistent with Islamic principles.
Addressing a Deepening Humanitarian Crisis
Government delegations presented urgent reports on the devastating drought, particularly acute in the Hawd region and affecting 63 districts nationwide. The Cabinet highlighted immediate, life-threatening shortages in water, healthcare, and education services, signaling a pressing need for accelerated humanitarian response.
Advancing Domestic Priorities
Alongside these major concerns, the Council reviewed progress on several key domestic fronts:
· National Unity & Morale: The ongoing Berbera national football championship was cited as a significant success, having engaged over 2.5 million viewers and fostering national spirit.
· Governance & Reform: Discussions were held on implementing crucial reforms to the national land administration system.
· Strategic Communication: The Cabinet emphasized the need for a coordinated media strategy to consistently articulate Somaliland’s case for statehood to both domestic and international audiences.
The session underscored the government’s dual focus on navigating urgent humanitarian needs while steadfastly advancing its long-term strategic goals.
To the Esteemed Chairperson of the African Union and the Collective Leadership of the African Union Commission,
As you steer the African Union through an era defined by the dual imperatives of preserving continental unity and delivering tangible security and prosperity for African peoples, we present the case of the Republic of Somaliland. We do so not as a challenge to the sacred principle of territorial integrity, but as an appeal for its intelligent and context-sensitive application—guided by the African Union’s own precedent, evidence, and stated commitment to “African Solutions to African Problems.”
This appeal is grounded in a deliberate contrast: the clear, foundational findings of the AU’s 2005 Fact-Finding Mission and the current diplomatic stance that defers to a rigid interpretation of sovereignty. Bridging this gap is not an act of concession, but an exercise in the principled statecraft for which the AU was founded.
I. The Unassailable Foundation: The AU’s 2005 Fact-Finding Mission Report
The 2005 mission, led by the AU’s own Deputy Chairperson, was not an advocacy exercise but a diagnostic one. Its conclusions form an institutional record that this Chairmanship can confidently rely upon.
· A Historical-Logical Anomaly: The mission concluded Somaliland’s case is “unique and self-justified in African political history.” It found the 1960 union was “never ratified” and dissolved after a period of catastrophic failure and violence. Thus, Somaliland did not secede; it emerged from a collapsed political project, reverting to its pre-union colonial borders—a process more akin to the dissolution of a failed merger than to secession.
· A Reality of Earned Sovereignty: The report acknowledged Somaliland’s “credible claim of de facto legitimacy” built not on rhetoric, but on a homegrown, post-conflict peace architecture and a functional, hybrid governance system that has conducted multiple peaceful electoral transfers of power.
· A Strategic Warning Ignored: Most critically, the mission warned that the “lack of recognition… is a serious security threat.” This prophecy has materialized in the form of a protracted limbo that strains regional security, fuels informal economies, and leaves a zone of stability vulnerable to exploitation by malign actors precisely because it lacks formal capacity to secure its borders and engage fully in international cooperation.
· The AU’s Own Prescribed Path: The mission’s core recommendation was for the AU to “find a special method of dealing with this outstanding case” and to consider a “special status in the AU.” This was a direct call for institutional innovation to match a unique circumstance.
II. Engaging the Current Diplomatic Reality with Honesty and Vision
We do not acknowledge the AU’s consistent public position, as seen in recent communiques, which emphasizes the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia. However, statecraft requires navigating between principle and practical reality. The reality is that for over three decades, Somaliland has existed as a separate, peaceful, and self-governing entity. To pretend otherwise is to ignore facts on the ground and the AU’s own 2005 assessment.
· Beyond a Binary Choice: The choice is not simply between “recognizing Somaliland” or “preserving Somalia.” A third, more constructive path exists: managed engagement. The current policy of isolation and non-engagement has not brought Somaliland closer to Mogadishu; it has hardened positions and externalized the issue.
· Territorial Integrity & Popular Will: The AU Charter also enshrines the “sovereign equality of all Member States” and the “right of peoples to self-determination” (OAU Charter, Article II). These principles are not nullified by Article 4(b) but must be balanced with it. In Somaliland, there exists a demonstrable popular will, expressed repeatedly through referenda and elections, for sovereign recognition. Ignoring this does not make it disappear; it creates a festering legitimacy deficit.
· A Pragmatic Partner for AU Goals: Somaliland’s recognition would directly advance key AU Agenda 2063 aspirations:
· The Silencing the Guns Initiative: It would formalize and secure a existing peace, turning a de facto peace into a de jure one.
· Democratic Governance: It would reward and consolidate a African-born democratic project.
· Economic Integration: It would unlock the region’s economic potential by integrating a functional, governing entity into formal trade and security frameworks.
III. A Proposed Roadmap for Chairmanship Leadership
This moment calls for courageous and creative diplomacy. We therefore propose the Chairmanship consider the following actionable steps:
Official Re-engagement with the 2005 Framework: Formally acknowledge the 2005 Fact-Finding Mission Report as the legitimate starting point for all future AU deliberation on this matter. Commission a follow-up technical report to assess the current situation against the 2005 findings.
Convene a Direct Dialogue Framework: Use the Chairmanship’s good offices to initiate and host structured, technical-level talks between Somaliland and Somalia, not with the unrealistic aim of forced reunification, but to discuss mutual recognition, security cooperation, and shared economic interests. The model is not Rwanda-Burundi, but Sudan-South Sudan—a managed, responsible diplomatic process.
Pilot a “Special Status” Engagement Model: As a transitional measure, implement the 2005 recommendation by granting Somaliland observer status or a unique form of associative membership within the AU. This would provide a platform for dialogue, extend the benefits of engagement, and allow both parties to adjust to a new reality without precipitous action.
Frame it as African Strategic Innovation: Position this not as a dangerous exception, but as the AU maturely managing a complex post-colonial legacy. It would demonstrate that the AU can solve its most intractable problems with wisdom, respecting both law and lived reality.
Conclusion
The African Union’s authority rests not on inflexibility, but on its capacity to deliver justice, peace, and progress. The case of Somaliland presents a profound test. Will the AU remain bound by a diplomatic formalism that contradicts its own evidence and perpetuates instability? Or will it embrace the innovative, principled leadership championed by its founders to resolve a uniquely African dilemma?
We urge you, Mr. Chairperson, to choose the path of resolution. The Republic of Somaliland stands ready as a willing partner for peace, a testament to African resilience, and a potential beacon of what this continent can achieve when it courageously reconciles principle with practice.
Hargeisa, Somaliland – The President of the Republic of Somaliland, H.E. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Cirro), today welcomed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel, H.E. Gideon Sa’ar, and a senior delegation at the Presidential Palace in Hargeisa.
The President warmly thanked the State and people of Israel for their historic and courageous decision to formally recognize the Republic of Somaliland. He described the move as a landmark step with profound diplomatic, economic, and developmental implications for Somaliland, the Horn of Africa, and the broader international community.
“Today marks a great day for Somaliland,” stated President Cirro. “This recognition strengthens our nation’s role in promoting regional peace, stability, democracy, and freedom of expression. It elevates a strategic partnership built on our shared interests and mutual respect.”
The President highlighted that Israel’s recognition unlocks significant opportunities for cooperation in investment, trade, technology, energy, water resources, minerals, agriculture, and infrastructure development. He reaffirmed Somaliland’s readiness to engage in broad and deep collaboration with Israel.
In response, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar expressed his government’s satisfaction in extending full recognition to Somaliland. He emphasized Israel’s commitment to building a close, multidimensional relationship that benefits both nations and their peoples.
Minister Sa’ar underscored that the recognition is rooted in the right to self-determination of the people of Somaliland and aligns with long-term security and stability interests in the Horn of Africa. He praised Somaliland’s functional democracy, internal peace, and contribution to regional stability.
The Foreign Minister stated clearly that Israel is determined to present Somaliland’s historical legitimacy and sovereignty to the world—a reality long overlooked. He framed the budding partnership as a model for how responsible states can jointly advance international security, sustainable development, and peaceful coexistence.
Minister Sa’ar noted that Israel had previously recognized Somaliland on June 26, 1960, and proudly reaffirms that recognition on December 26, 2025, with a pledge to stand together in the future.
This visit—the first by a sitting Israeli foreign minister to Somaliland in 34 years—marks a pivotal moment in bilateral relations. It follows Israel’s formal recognition of Somaliland late last year and inaugurates a new chapter of strategic engagement between the two nations.
In closing, President Cirro assured Minister Sa’ar that Somaliland is a steadfast and reliable partner, uniquely positioned to contribute to peace and security in the Horn of Africa and beyond.
Gideon Sa’ar expected to meet with the president of Somaliland to advance political and strategic cooperation following Israel’s recognition of its sovereignty, Somaliland diplomatic source confirms.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar arrived this morning in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, on the first official visit since Israel recognized Somaliland’s sovereignty, a Somaliland diplomatic source told i24NEWS.
During his visit, Sa’ar is expected to meet with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi. The two are scheduled to hold a joint press conference at the presidential palace later today, the source added.
The diplomatic source said the visit aims to advance meaningful political and strategic cooperation between Israel and Somaliland. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has not issued any comment on the trip.
This visit marks the first high-level Israeli delegation to Somaliland since the recognition of its independence and signals an effort to strengthen bilateral relations. Details of the discussions and any agreements remain unconfirmed.
By recognizing Somaliland’s 1960 sovereignty, Israel exposes the African Union’s legal contradictions and its capture by narrow interests.
Historical Sovereignty, Not Secession
When Israel engaged with Somaliland, the African Union responded with predictable condemnation, invoking the principle of “border intangibility” as if a reckless secession were underway. The truth is the opposite: Somaliland isn’t breaking away from Somalia—it is reclaiming the sovereignty it briefly held in 1960, before a fragile union with Italian-administered Somalia collapsed in 1991. Recognition of that historical fact is not a diplomatic rebellion; it is an exercise in legal realism.
Somaliland’s case is unique. On June 26, 1960, the former British Somaliland Protectorate became fully independent and was recognized by 35 UN member states, including major global powers. It voluntarily joined Somalia five days later—a union that never fully functioned in law or practice. When the Somali state disintegrated decades later, Somaliland did not secede; it simply reverted to the borders it legally held before the union. The African Union itself acknowledged this in a 2005 fact-finding mission, describing Somaliland’s claim as “unique and self-justified.” That report, however, has been quietly shelved, ignored not because of flawed reasoning but because of a lack of political courage in Addis Ababa.
Israel’s recognition, whether formal or de facto, sidesteps the emotive and misleading “secession” frame entirely. By anchoring its position in Somaliland’s historical sovereignty, Israel is not violating African norms—it is aligning with them more faithfully than the AU itself has dared to do. And that alignment exposes a more uncomfortable truth: the African Union’s rigid stance is less about law and principle than about narrow commercial interests and the geopolitical anxieties of a single member state.
Ports Over Principle
If Somaliland’s legal case is so clear, why does the African Union continue to reject it? The answer is less about law than about docks. Djibouti, a tiny nation with outsized strategic influence, has long opposed recognition under the guise of “Somali unity.” The real concern is economic: over 90% of landlocked Ethiopia’s trade flows through Djibouti’s port, giving the country a lucrative monopoly. Meanwhile, Somaliland’s port of Berbera—modernized by UAE’s DP World with Ethiopia as a strategic partner—offers a credible alternative. Recognition of Somaliland would shift regional trade and power, undermining Djibouti’s dominance. The AU’s rigid stance, in other words, is not a principled defense of borders; it is a protective shield for commercial interests masquerading as continental doctrine.
Rewarding Failure, Punishing Success
This logic has created a perverse incentive on the continent. For more than three decades, Somaliland has built what most African states lack: a stable, functioning democracy with peaceful transfers of power, a competent security apparatus that contains extremism, and a society largely self-financed through taxation. Meanwhile, the internationally recognized Somali federal government, despite massive aid and international attention, struggles for authority beyond parts of Mogadishu. By sidelining Somaliland, the AU rewards chaos and punishes success—sending a troubling signal that effective self-governance can lead not to recognition but to isolation.
The result is a crisis of credibility. When the African Union clings to policies its own experts have discredited, dictated by narrow commercial interests, it loses the moral authority to set the rules of the game. External actors—from the UAE and Turkey to now Israel—fill the vacuum, forging partnerships that serve their strategic and economic goals rather than African interests. Israel’s engagement with Somaliland is not just a bilateral matter; it is a stark reminder that the AU’s failure to confront reality diminishes African agency and invites outside influence.
A Path Forward for African Agency
A credible African response would not be blanket rejection. It would involve principled, practical engagement. The AU could start by formally recognizing Somaliland as a distinct political entity, in line with its 2005 fact-finding report. Technical cooperation—on security, counter-piracy, and public health—could follow, acknowledging the realities on the ground. Ultimately, a structured, time-bound adjudication process should evaluate Somaliland’s claim based on law, history, and the will of its people. Such steps would restore African leadership and demonstrate that the continent can resolve disputes on its own terms, rather than allowing them to be settled by outsiders.
The choice for the African Union is stark: it can continue defending a legal fiction to protect a port monopoly and watch its influence erode, or it can separate commercial anxieties from constitutional law and confront Somaliland’s status with the honesty its own experts recommended nearly two decades ago. Israel’s approach is rooted in legal realism; Africa’s response, if it is to matter, must be rooted in institutional integrity. The world is watching to see whether the AU can still meet that standard—or whether it will remain a hostage to outdated principles and narrow interests while effective self-governance continues to flourish outside its recognition.
About the Author Mohamed Marshall Omer is a geopolitical analyst and former diplomat based in Addis Ababa. He specializes in the Horn of Africa security, governance, Red Sea geopolitics, and regional economic integration, drawing on his experience in diplomacy, entrepreneurship, and policy research.
Some countries, including China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia strongly criticized Israel’s decision, as did the African Union. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the president of the Federal Republic of Somalia, called it “an existential threat” and cited his country’s “non-negotiable” sovereignty and territorial integrity.
By any rational measure this is a flimsy case. I previously made the case for Somaliland’s statehood, arguing that it had achieved “astonishing economic and political progress over the past 30 years.” It has a functioning if imperfect democracy, an executive, legislature and judiciary, armed forces, a central bank and its own currency: it is already an independent state in many practical terms.
The slavish invocation of Somalia’s interests ignores the context and has an inverted moral core: Somalia has been embroiled in civil war for decades, is the most corrupt country in the world with the exception of South Sudan, regularly carries out human rights abuses, has no popular direct elections and has proven powerless to prevent the Islamic terrorist group al-Shabaab from establishing an autonomous “Islamic Emirate of Somalia” in the south of the country.
Somalia has received tens of billions of dollars in humanitarian and development aid from the United Nations, the European Union, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the African Development Bank and, on a bilateral basis, from the U.S., Britain, Germany and others. These funds may well have prevented more severe humanitarian crises than Somalia has so far experienced, but it is hard to show any meaningful progress towards establishing stability, prosperity, democratic institutions or the rule of law.
By contrast, international support for Somaliland, because it is an unrecognized polity, has been much smaller; in 2024, it amounted to $221 million, from humanitarian organizations, the UN, the Somaliland Development Fund, the World Bank and Germany’s development agency.
The question is not whether Somalia and its weak federal government need or deserve international support. The stance of the international community, including the African Union, the EU and the Arab League, has defined this as a zero-sum game, by holding to the position that the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia must be paramount.
International law protects sovereignty and territorial integrity, and there is no right of secession from existing states. Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter requires that member states refrain from “the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.” But that does not fit the existing geopolitical circumstances of Somaliland. Moreover, Article 1(2) promotes “respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples.” Currently, the “equal rights and self-determination” of Somalilanders is being treated as a dead letter.
In August, it seemed as if the U.S. might be changing its position. President Trump was asked if recognition was being considered. “We’re looking into that right now,” he told reporters. “We’re working on that right now — Somaliland.”
“Somaliland has built a cohesive, self-governing society with a common language, a shared history, and a vision rooted in stability and progress. It should no longer be tethered to the turmoil of Mogadishu.”
Cruz agreed: “Recognizing Somaliland isn’t charity — it’s strategy. It aligns with America’s security interests and the ‘America First’ doctrine by strengthening an ally that shares our values in a region vital to global trade and counterterrorism.”
They are correct. MAGA loyalists may doubt whether Somaliland “shares our values,” since its constitution declares “Islam is the religion of the Somaliland state, and the promotion of any religion…other than Islam, is prohibited,” and “the laws of the nation shall be grounded on… Islamic Sharia.” But it has shown commitment to democracy and economic freedom, and would be a steadfast ally in the region.
President Trump has denied that the U.S. will join Israel in recognizing Somaliland. But Trump can be flexible, to put it mildly, and the jury remains out.
The arguments against recognizing Somaliland are beginning to sound stale and ritualistic. They should now bear the burden of proof. Any logical or moral analysis would suggest that Somaliland wants to be independent, is capable of sustaining itself, would benefit from international recognition and is being unfairly held back for the interests of Somalia, a semi-failed and barely functioning state.
Netanyahu has made the first move. His motivation is irrelevant: it should prompt others to reexamine the issue. For countries like the United States and the United Kingdom (where there is a small but influential pro-Somaliland lobby), maintaining their existing policy resembles Einstein’s apocryphal dictum: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”
Financial and diplomatic support has not made Somalia stable or prosperous, but a fraction of what has been expended could transform Somaliland. Recognition would be fair, just, effective and in almost everyone’s interests, so what is holding us back?
Eliot Wilson is a writer and historian, a Senior Fellow for National Security at the Coalition for Global Prosperity and contributing editor for Defence on the Brink.
In a moment charged with symbolism and optimism, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar arrived in Hargeisa today for a landmark joint press conference with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdilahi Irro. This visit—the first by a high-ranking official from a UN member state since Israel became the world’s first country to formally recognize Somaliland’s independence on December 26, 2025—underscored the rapid transformation of bilateral relations into a full-fledged strategic partnership.
President Irro opened the event with a warm welcome, describing Sa’ar’s arrival as carrying “historic significance” and marking a pivotal step in turning political recognition into a “substantive, forward-looking, and strategic partnership.” He emphasized Somaliland’s commitment to cooperation in political, security, economic, and development domains, stressing that the relationship would be “practical, institutional, and results-oriented.” Irro assured full readiness to establish a Somaliland embassy in Israel and support a permanent Israeli diplomatic presence in Hargeisa, declaring today “a historical day we will put in our calendars.”
Foreign Minister Sa’ar echoed the sentiment, calling his visit to Hargeisa an “honor” and praising President Irro’s “visionary leadership” and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decisive role. He highlighted the December 26 agreement on mutual recognition and full diplomatic relations, including the swift appointment of ambassadors and opening of embassies. Sa’ar spoke of building an “enduring and warm friendship” not just between governments but between the peoples of both nations.
Key areas of cooperation dominated the discussion:
Water and Agriculture: Israel pledged expertise in water management, a critical sector for Somaliland. A water expert has already surveyed resources, with plans for training Somaliland professionals in Israel and deploying Israeli experts on the ground.
Health and Education: Sa’ar noted that 49 Somaliland children have received life-saving heart surgeries in Israel in recent years, expressing eagerness to expand medical and educational ties.
Defense and Security: Both sides committed to a strategic partnership in defense.
Sa’ar also invoked shared history: Israel recognized Somaliland’s brief independence in 1960 and was the only nation to condemn the atrocities against its people at the UN during the 1980s civil war. Contrasting Somaliland with other entities, he declared it a “fully functioning country based on the principles of international law”—a stable democracy with peaceful power transitions, including the recent November 2024 elections. “Unlike ‘Palestine’, Somaliland is not a virtual state,” Sa’ar stated firmly, adding that Israel would not be swayed by criticism: “Nobody will determine for Israel who we recognize.”
He expressed hope that other nations would follow suit, citing a 2005 African Union report affirming Somaliland’s case for recognition, and welcomed Somaliland’s intention to join the Abraham Accords as a natural fit among democratic nations in challenging regions.
In a light-hearted closing exchange, President Irro accepted Prime Minister Netanyahu’s invitation for a state visit to Jerusalem, joking that a public announcement of Sa’ar’s visit might have drawn “more than two million people” to the streets. Sa’ar quipped about preparing security for the next time.
As the leaders concluded amid applause, the message was clear: This is not merely symbolic diplomacy but the start of tangible collaboration for stability, prosperity, and mutual growth. In a region often defined by conflict, the Somaliland-Israel partnership stands out as a bold beacon of possibility. God bless Somaliland. God bless Israel.
Please read the speeches below exactly as they were originally delivered:
Republic of Somaliland President HE Abdirahman Mohamed Abdilahi Irro’s speech;
It is with great pleasure and honor that I warmly welcome you to the Republic of Somaliland. Mr. Minister, your visit carries historic significance and marks an important milestone in the evolving relationship between the Republic of Somaliland and the State of Israel.
It reflects not only political recognition but also a shared commitment to transform that recognition into a substantive, forward-looking, and strategic partnership.
Somaliland values this partnership highly and approaches it with clarity of purpose and long-term vision. We are committed to building a strategic relationship with Israel that is mutually beneficial and grounded in cooperation across political, security, economic, and development domains. We see this partnership not as symbolic but as practical, institutional, and results-oriented—one that contributes to stability, prosperity, and shared interests.
Your presence here today instills confidence in the future of our relations.
It sends a strong message that Somaliland and Israel are ready to deepen engagement and move decisively toward the establishment of diplomatic infrastructure, including the opening of embassies.
From our side, I wish to assure you of our full readiness and political will to establish our embassy in Israel and to support a permanent and effective Israeli diplomatic presence in Somaliland.
Israel Foreign Minister’s speech;
It’s an honor to be in Hargeisa on this historic visit.
Thank you, Mr. President, for your personal invitation and gracious hospitality.
Over the past year, relations between Israel and Somaliland have taken shape.
I want to thank you for your close partnership and visionary leadership.
I also want to praise Prime Minister Netanyahu for his decision and leadership.
Mr. President, it is a historic journey. I held meetings with you and your team. We had an ongoing and extensive dialogue for many months.
The relations that we build are based on trust and mutual respect. Eventually, on December 26, Israel and Somaliland signed a historic agreement on mutual recognition and the establishment of full diplomatic relations.
We agreed on the mutual appointment of ambassadors and the opening of embassies. We will get that done soon.
We agreed to work together to promote relations between our countries for the sake of mutual prosperity.
We want to build an enduring and warm friendship not only between governments but also between the people of Somaliland and the people of Israel.
Since December 26, we’ve seen authentic joy on display in Somaliland and also in Israel. We are truly moved to play a part in Somaliland’s bold journey from independence to recognition.
Following my instructions, the foreign ministry is working hard to build our ties across a wide range of fields: economy, agriculture, and much more. We recognize that water supply is a key sector for Somaliland. Therefore, we’re glad to provide our assistance and expertise on this matter.
A water expert was already in Somaliland. He conducted a survey on the natural resources and means of delivery. In the coming months, we’ll bring local professionals from Somaliland’s water sector to Israel for training.
We’ll also send Israeli experts here to help implement the new capabilities. In recent years, 49 children from Somaliland have undergone life-saving heart surgery in Israel. We are eager to help in medicine too and also in education. We will also cooperate on defense and develop a strategic partnership.
Somaliland first gained its independence in 1960 from British colonial rule. Israel was then among the 35 countries to recognize an independent Somaliland. Later it united with Somalia under Italian rule to form a single federal state. But in the 80s, as we know, this teritory underwent a brutal civil war.
Israel was the only nation to condemn at the United Nations the horrific mass murder of 200,000 of your people. Then we stood by you as we stand by you today.
In 1991, following these atrocities, Somaliland decided to restore its independence. Unlike “Palestine”, Somaliland is not a virtual state. It’s a functioning state. Somaliland is a fully functioning country based on the principles of international law. Somaliland is and has been a stable democracy for nearly 35 years. It has democratic elections, most recently in November 2024, and peaceful transitions of power. It’s pro-Western and friendly to Israel.
Mr. President, Israel is truly honored to be the first UN member state to recognize the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state. This is the moral thing to do and this is what we did. We hear the attacks, the criticism, the condemnations.
Nobody will determine for Israel who we recognize and who we maintain diplomatic relations with. I want to remind that the 2005 African Union fact-finding mission stated that Somaliland’s search for recognition is self-justified. It listed Somaliland’s constitution-defined borders and democratic character. We recognize the simple truth and the existing reality. We hope to see other nations soon follow suit and independent Somaliland rightfully deserves its place among the nations.
I welcome Somaliland’s intention to join the Abraham Accords. This is a natural connection between democratic countries both in challenging regions.
Mr. President, in our meeting, I restated Prime Minister Netanyahu’s invitation for you to come on a state visit to Israel. We hope to welcome you to Jerusalem very soon.
In the words of Somaliland’s national anthem, may your nation live in eternal peace. May these historic days and moments be the beginning of a close friendship between our nations for many years to come.
God bless Somaliland. God bless Israel.
President Irro-Thank you, Mr. Foreign Minister. I thank you very much. I declare that I have accepted the invitation of the Prime Minister. And the letter will come through the diplomatic channels also. I’m glad to say, I’m proud to say, I’m not shy of saying it, that we will open our embassy in Israel. We thank again the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister for signing the declaration and today, as I said, is a different day, is a historical day we will put in our calendars.
for you, Mr. Minister, as the first minister from a member of the United Nations who came here to Hargeisa. for the first time, and so Somaliland is a recognized country.
I’m sure that if we made it public, your coming to Hargeisa openly, you would have met more than two million people and they would be here, but maybe the next time we will do that.
Minister Gideon-I tell the security this is what will happen next time. So you should get prepared for that. Thank you.
