Israel has become the first country to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, more than three decades after the African region broke away from Somalia in 1991, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu describing the move as aligned with the spirit of the Abraham Accords.
Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar signed the historic declaration alongside Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi on December 26, 2025, with Israel planning immediate cooperation in agriculture, health, technology, and the economy, while both countries agreed to establish embassies and appoint ambassadors.
Somaliland, a Sunni Muslim nation that enjoyed five days of independence in 1960 when it was recognized by Israel and 34 other countries before uniting with Somalia, has effectively functioned as a stable independent state with its own currency, flag, parliament, and peaceful democratic transitions, while most of Somalia experienced decades of civil war and instability.
Somalia's government condemned the recognition as an "unlawful step" and "deliberate attack" on its sovereignty, with foreign ministers from Egypt, Türkiye, Djibouti, and Somalia warning that recognizing breakaway regions sets a dangerous precedent violating international law, while the African Union also rejected the move and reaffirmed commitment to Somalia's territorial integrity.
The recognition follows reports from August 2025 about discussions regarding potential resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza to Somaliland, with President Abdullahi announcing Somaliland's intention to join the Abraham Accords and expressing hope that Israel's recognition will encourage other nations to follow suit, potentially reshaping diplomatic dynamics in the Horn of Africa.
