Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar landed in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, on January 6, 2026, marking a historic diplomatic milestone that few outside political circles could have predicted a month earlier.
Saar’s visit, the first by a senior Israeli official,comes nearly two weeks after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government formally recognised the self‑declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent state on December 26, 2025.
Israel thus became the first country in the world to extend official recognition to the breakaway region, which has operated autonomously from Somalia since 1991 but lacked international legitimacy.
At Hargeisa’s airport, Saar and his delegation were received by senior Somaliland officials, a clear signal of both sides’ intent to deepen political ties.
Within hours, Saar was scheduled to meet with President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known locally as Irro, at the presidential palace.
The agenda was ambitious: discussions ranged from formalising diplomatic pathways and economic cooperation to potential collaboration in agriculture, technology, and security.
Plans were reportedly also laid to open mutual embassies and appoint ambassadors, a foundational step toward institutionalising relations.
In speeches delivered during the visit, Saar stressed Israel’s conviction that Somaliland’s long‑standing internal stability, democratic traditions, and functioning institutions justified formal recognition.
He insisted that the move was “not directed against anyone,” pushing back against critics who cast doubt on the timing and geopolitical implications.
Somaliland’s leadership, for its part, welcomed the Israeli support, framing it as a vindication of their decades‑long quest for statehood and a gateway to broader international engagement.
However, the atmosphere surrounding Saar’s trip was far from universally celebratory. Somalia’s federal government condemned the visit as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, denouncing the Israeli minister’s presence in Hargeisa as “unauthorised.”
The African Union’s Peace and Security Council also called for the immediate revocation of Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, reflecting deep regional unease.
More than 20 Muslim‑majority countries released statements rejecting Israel’s decision, claiming it contravened international law and threatened peace and security.
Strategically perched along the Gulf of Aden at a crossroads of global shipping routes, Somaliland occupies a position of considerable geopolitical importance.
With tensions rising across the Red Sea and Horn of Africa, its emerging ties with Israel could reshape diplomatic alignments, but not without fuelling controversy that reverberates far beyond East Africa’s borders.
