Israel’s Recognition of Somaliland

1. The Republic of Somaliland is a self-declared political entity located in the Horn of Africa. It occupies the northwestern portion of the territory that was once the British Protectorate in northern Somalia.
2. Somaliland declared its independence from Somalia in 1991.
   • This declaration followed the collapse of Somalia’s central government.
   • The collapse occurred after years of prolonged civil war.
3. Since 1991, Somaliland has functioned as a de facto state.
   • A de facto state is a region that governs itself in practice but lacks widespread international recognition.
4. Somaliland has its own elected government, also administers its own internal affairs independently.
5. Despite this, Somaliland has not been recognized by any United Nations member state until recently.
   • A United Nations member state is a country officially recognized as sovereign by the UN General Assembly. 
   • Somalia has never accepted Somaliland’s claim of independence.
     
     

Current Context

1. On December 26, 2025, Israel became the first country to formally recognized the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state.
2. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel and Somaliland had signed a joint declaration.The declaration established full diplomatic relations between the two entities.
   • Netanyahu described the agreement as being “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords.”
   • The Abraham Accords are a set of agreements brokered by the United States.
   • These accords aim to establish formal diplomatic ties between Israel and Arab states.

Geographical Overview of Somaliland

1. The Republic of Somaliland is located in the Horn of Africa.
2. It borders the Gulf of Aden to the north, Somalia to the east, Ethiopia to the south and west.
3. It shares its northwestern border with Djibouti.
4. The capital city of Somaliland is Hargeisa.