Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel plans to quickly expand cooperation with Somaliland in areas such as agriculture, health, and technology. Somaliland’s President, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, called the move a historic moment.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that Israel and Somaliland have agreed to establish full diplomatic relations. This will include appointing ambassadors and opening embassies in each other’s countries.
Reacting to the announcement, Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said Somalia strongly and clearly rejects Israel’s decision. He described it as a direct attack on Somalia’s sovereignty.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s Foreign Minister held separate phone talks with his counterparts from Somalia, Türkiye, and Djibouti to discuss the issue. The four countries strongly condemned Israel’s decision and rejected the announcement.
In a statement, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said the four nations reaffirmed their support for Somalia’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. They warned that unilateral actions could threaten regional stability or create parallel institutions that weaken Somalia’s government.
They also said that recognising the independence of parts of existing countries would set a dangerous example under international law and go against the principles of the United Nations Charter.