Israel became the first country to officially recognize Somaliland as a sovereign nation in December 2025.
By Shula Rosen
Israel’s Ambassador to Somaliland, Michael Lotem, presented his credentials to President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi last week at the Presidential Palace in Hargeisa, as Israel and Somaliland continued to expand diplomatic relations.
A cornerstone-laying ceremony for Israel’s new embassy in Hargeisa was held following the presentation of credentials, adding a diplomatic presence to the relationship established between the two countries.
“Israel is determined to develop and strengthen its relations with Somaliland,” Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said.
“The appointment of ambassadors, in accordance with the agreement reached when our countries established mutual recognition, is another important step in deepening the ties between us.”
Israel became the first country to officially recognize Somaliland as a sovereign nation in December 2025.
The diplomatic breakthrough was framed in the spirit of the Abraham Accords and was followed by an exchange of ambassadors and growing cooperation in security, intelligence, water management and health care.
Diplomatic contacts have expanded during 2026. Sa’ar traveled to Somaliland in January 2026 in a historic visit following the establishment of relations.
President Abdullahi later visited Israel in June 2026, when Somaliland opened its embassy in Jerusalem.
Lotem’s presentation of credentials and the cornerstone ceremony for the Israeli Embassy in Hargeisa represent the latest developments in diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Somaliland is a self-declared de facto independent state in the Horn of Africa along the Gulf of Aden. It declared its independence from Somalia in 1991.
The relationship between Israel and Somaliland is based in part on shared strategic interests surrounding the Bab el Mandeb Strait and the major shipping routes running through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Somaliland’s location offers Israel additional strategic depth in responding to threats from the Houthis and monitoring security developments affecting maritime traffic in the region.
For Somaliland, closer relations with Israel provide important diplomatic support as it continues its efforts to gain broader international recognition and legitimacy.
Cooperation between the two countries has expanded into several areas, including intelligence sharing and security, reflecting their common interest in regional stability and protecting strategically important maritime routes.