Reports indicate that security coordination between Hargeisa and Tel Aviv had been underway quietly weeks before Israel’s official recognition of Somaliland, suggesting that the security track preceded the political decision and helped establish groundwork on the ground.
According to a report published by Africa Intelligence, a “mysterious” delegation arrived in Somaliland about three weeks before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the recognition. The visit was described as part of efforts to strengthen security cooperation. The report did not provide details on the delegation’s members, and neither side issued official confirmation regarding the visit’s content.
The developments came amid a notable diplomatic shift that began on December 26, 2025, when Israel became the first country to recognize Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, a move that triggered mixed reactions across the region and within international actors.
Days later, on January 6, 2026, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar visited Hargeisa and met with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro, amid Israeli assurances of advancing bilateral relations. The visit was strongly rejected by the federal government of Somalia in Mogadishu, which described it as a violation of its sovereignty.
While public attention focused on the political dimension of recognition and the high-level visit, questions emerged in the background regarding what both sides specifically seek from the “security file.” Multiple indications point to the security of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden as a central theme, given Somaliland’s location opposite Yemen and along one of the world’s most sensitive maritime corridors, at a time marked by recurring disruptions to shipping routes.
Parallel statements by Somaliland officials have outlined a broad framework for converging interests in this domain. Somaliland’s foreign minister was quoted noting that the two sides view themselves as natural partners, sharing a “common interest” in Red Sea security.
At the same time, reports suggest that recognition could pave the way for cooperation beyond traditional politics, including intelligence sharing, maritime coordination, and possibly logistical access arrangements when needed, without necessarily implying the establishment of permanent bases. In contrast, official sources in Somaliland have repeatedly denied plans to host military bases or allow the use of its territory for arrangements affecting sensitive regional files.
In discussions at the Security Council following the recognition, several countries raised questions about whether the move was linked to broader security objectives, including allegations related to establishing bases or to political files connected to the war in Gaza. Israel’s representative said the recognition “is not a hostile step” against Somalia and does not preclude dialogue among the parties.
In this context, other reports noted that Somaliland’s leadership is not limiting its agenda to security alone, but is also seeking to attract Israeli investment across multiple sectors, alongside preparations for an anticipated official visit.
Although details of the “mysterious delegation,” as described by the source, and the backstage discussions remain undisclosed, it is clear that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland has opened a new chapter publicly framed as diplomacy within the shifting balances of the Horn of Africa, but driven more deeply by maritime security and networks of interests stretching along the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Source Geeska
