Somaliland president makes historic Israel visit, pledges closer security ties

Officials in Hargeisa are interested in cooperating in areas such as energy, infrastructure, and agriculture.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

President Isaac Herzog hosted Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi in Jerusalem on Sunday for the first state visit by a Somaliland president to Israel, with the two leaders highlighting security cooperation, regional stability, and maritime security as areas of shared interest.

“We both face the threat of radical extremism. We both seek security and stability in the region and in the Horn of Africa. We both see the importance of protecting maritime freedom,” Herzog said.

The Israeli president said the two countries should move beyond diplomatic statements toward practical cooperation.

“We need to move from declarations to people-to-people cooperation in a range of fields,” he said, adding that the sides discussed areas of mutual interest.

Herzog also linked the visit to Israel’s broader engagement with African countries, saying that ties between Israel and African nations would continue to develop despite opposition from some groups.

Abdillahi described the visit as a significant moment for Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but remains largely unrecognized internationally.

“I stand here with the greetings, the thanks, the appreciation of six million Somaliland Muslims,” Abdillahi said.

“Somaliland has been talking, has been reaching out to the world leaders for the last 35 years.”

He added that Israel’s engagement represented a major step in bilateral relations. “Only one country desired to see us and recognize Somaliland, and that’s the government of Israel and its people,” Abdillahi said.

The visit follows Israel’s decision in December to recognize Somaliland as an independent state, more than three decades after the territory split from Somalia in 1991.

No other country has formally extended recognition.

Situated in the Horn of Africa, Somaliland’s northern coast lies directly across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen, where the Houthis control territory.

Israel is reportedly interested in establishing a base in Somaliland to counter Houthi and Iranian threats to Red Sea shipping.

Officials in Hargeisa are interested in cooperating in areas such as energy, infrastructure, and agriculture.

Abdullahi has also expressed interest in joining the Abraham Accords.