Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would start immediate cooperation with Somaliland in agriculture, health, technology, and the economy. He praised Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi and invited him to visit Israel.
Netanyahu said the move followed the spirit of the ‘Abraham Accords’, which expanded Israel’s ties with Arab and regional states. Those accords were first signed in 2020. Israel’s prime minister, foreign minister Gideon Saar, and Somaliland’s president signed a joint declaration confirming mutual recognition, according to an official statement.
I announced today the official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) December 26, 2025
Together with Foreign Minister Sa'ar and the President of the Republic of Somaliland, we signed a joint and mutual declaration.
This declaration is in the spirit of… pic.twitter.com/WlZuN1HB5z
President Abdullahi welcomed the decision and announced that Somaliland would join the Abraham Accords. He said the step would support peace, stability, and shared prosperity in the Middle East and Africa.
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However, Somalia strongly condemned Israel’s decision, calling it unlawful and a direct attack on its sovereignty. Mogadishu said it would use diplomatic, political, and legal means to protect its unity and internationally recognized borders.
Egypt also reacted quickly. Its foreign minister held calls with officials from Somalia, Turkey, and Djibouti, warning that the move could destabilize the Horn of Africa. They reaffirmed support for Somalia’s territorial integrity.
The African Union rejected Israel’s recognition as well, stressing its firm commitment to Somalia’s unity and warning that recognizing breakaway regions could threaten peace across Africa.
Somaliland has operated independently since 1991 after Somalia fell into civil war. Despite long-term stability, it has never received formal recognition from any country until now. Earlier this year, Somalia and Somaliland denied reports about proposals to resettle Palestinians from Gaza, firmly rejecting any such plan.
