Israel becomes first country to recognise Somaliland as independent state

Israel has become the first country to formally recogniseSomaliland as an independent nation, marking a diplomatic breakthrough for thecountry nestled in the Horn of Africa. Somaliland broke away from Somalia in 1991, after adecade-long war of independence led by the Somali National Movement (SNM)against dictator Siad Barre’s regime. But the country lacks widespread international recognitionas an independent state despite functioning with its own government, currency,military, and elections. It is viewed by most countries and the United Nations(UN) as part of Somalia. Somalia has also never accepted Somaliland’s independence. On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuannounced that Israel and Somaliland had signed a joint declarationestablishing full diplomatic relations. “This declaration is in the spirit of the Abraham Accords,signed at the initiative of President Trump,” he said. Netanyahu did not give further details on what informedIsrael’s recognition of Somaliland, but both countries hold shared strategicinterests in Red Sea security and regional stability. Somaliland has a strategic position on the Gulf of Aden, aterritory where Israel seeks a foothold to counter Houthi and Iranian threats. In recent years, Somaliland has also developed ties with theUnited Arab Emirates (UAE) – a signatory to the Abraham Accords – and Taiwan asit seeks international acceptance. In August, Trump signalled that he was preparing to act onthe issue when asked about Somaliland during a White House news conference. “Another complex one, but we’re working on that one,Somaliland,” he said. Meanwhile, Hamza Abdi Barre, Somalia’s prime minister, saidhis country categorically and unequivocally rejects what he calls a deliberateattack by Israel on its sovereignty.

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