Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, was in Israel this week for an official visit. This was the first official state visit granted to a Somaliland president since Somaliland declared its breakaway from the rest of Somalia following the collapse of the state.
The visit, however, was not the first time a Somaliland president had travelled to Israel. In October, two months before Israel announced its recognition of Somaliland, making it the only United Nations member state to do so, the Somaliland president made an undisclosed visit to Israel. The president later acknowledged in an interview with Israeli media that the visit had served as the “foundation.”
During the visit, the Somaliland president met with senior Israeli officials. He also met numerous high-ranking figures and paid respects at Israeli historical sites, including the Holocaust museum, as well as laying a wreath at the graves of celebrated Israeli figures, including Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern political Zionism.
He also received an award from Friends of Zion. Mike Evans, founder of Friends of Zion, described Somaliland during the ceremony as the “Israel of Africa.”
Since arriving in Jerusalem, President Irro has held meetings with senior Israeli leaders, including President Isaac Herzog, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other high-ranking officials.
The centerpiece of the visit was Irro’s meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is facing war crimes and crimes against humanity charges, in Jerusalem, where the two sides signed “Strategic Joint Declaration of Cooperation.” According to Somaliland officials, the declaration is intended to create a long-term framework for cooperation in areas including security, investment, technology, economic development, infrastructure, agriculture and water management.
During the meeting, President Irro praised Netanyahu for what he called the “courage and clarity” of Netanyahu, saying the decision of recognition “reflects statesmanship and strategic foresight,” adding that “Somaliland will never forget this historic gesture of friendship, mutual respect, and principled recognition.” Irro thanked Netanyahu, the Israeli government and the Israeli people for making Israel the first country in 35 years to formally recognize the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state.
Netanyahu, for his part, portrayed the relationship as part of a shared political and security vision. In his remarks, Netanyahu said he was proud that his government was the first in the world to recognize Somaliland, and thanked Irro for his decision to open Somaliland’s embassy in Jerusalem.
“I believe that we can expand our relations to many things,” Netanyahu said, adding that “we discussed this both in my private meeting with the president. There is much to do.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also cast the relationship as durable, saying there were challenges and opponents of the new partnership but insisting that efforts to undermine the relationship would not succeed. Sa’ar had earlier met Irro at the Israeli Foreign Ministry and helped open Somaliland’s embassy in Jerusalem.
President Irro also met Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who welcomed the Somaliland delegation and said Israel’s Finance Ministry would work to “remove barriers and promote trade and investment between the two sides.”
Smotrich is one of the most controversial figures in Israel’s government. He serves as Israel’s finance minister. In June 2025, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway announced sanctions against Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, accusing them of inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. The UK said Smotrich was subject to an asset freeze, travel ban and director disqualification in his personal capacity.
“The historic visit to Jerusalem symbolizes the strong partnership between the two countries, especially at this time,” Smotrich said.
The security talks were the most sensitive part of the visit. Somaliland’s defence minister told Reuters that Israel is training Somaliland police and military forces, but denied that talks had taken place over an Israeli military base, despite reports linked to Berbera, the Gulf of Aden and threats from Yemen’s Houthis.
“There is no Israeli military presence or military bases in Somaliland,” he said. “But Israel is helping Somaliland … they are supporting the training of some of our police and military,” Somaliland’s defence minister told Reuters.
Despite the growing reluctance of Somaliland officials to acknowledge any talks or existing arrangements over a military base, they have increasingly indicated a willingness to deepen security cooperation. Somaliland’s foreign minister told Ynet that “there is no limit to the relationship and cooperation between us.” President Irro has also told Israeli media that he cannot rule out the possibility of a military base.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz also signalled deeper security ties, saying Israel and Somaliland had cooperated quietly for years and now wanted to take that cooperation to “new heights.”
Despite Somaliland officials’ insistence that there is no military base or formal military arrangement, growing reports indicate that military cooperation has been developing. Le Monde has reported that Berbera, long promoted as Somaliland’s commercial lifeline, is increasingly becoming a strategic military hub. Satellite imagery reviewed by the French newspaper shows expansion works at Berbera airport since October 2025, including buried trench structures that security sources said may be linked to ammunition or fuel storage. A recent CNN investigation also reported that Somaliland was among the countries that provided logistics support to Israel’s military operation in Iran.
The visit has triggered opposition from Somalia, which considers Somaliland part of its sovereign territory. Mogadishu has repeatedly rejected Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, describing it as an unlawful step and an attack on Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Responding to the backlash, President Irro said: “We are not worried about any backlash.”
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation also condemned the opening of Somaliland’s embassy in Jerusalem, calling it illegal and a violation of the UN Charter and relevant UN resolutions. The OIC said Israel had no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem and reaffirmed support for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development, IGAD, also released a statement backing Somalia’s territorial sovereignty.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry issued a similar condemnation, saying the Somaliland embassy in occupied Jerusalem had no legitimacy and that any diplomatic or political measures affecting the status of Jerusalem were null and void. It also rejected Israel’s recognition of Somaliland and expressed support for the unity and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
The visit, unprecedented in scale and scope for Somaliland, represents the territory’s most significant diplomatic breakthrough to date. At the same time, it has exposed Somaliland to growing strategic and security pressures. Since deepening its engagement with Israel, Somaliland has faced mounting condemnation from Muslim-majority countries and major regional bodies, including the OIC, the Arab League and the GCC, with the notable exception of the UAE. It has also drawn criticism from regional and continental institutions, including IGAD and the African Union.
These condemnations, however, have done little to deter either Israel or Somaliland. Israel’s interest in the Red Sea has grown amid its genocidal war in Gaza, and its engagement with Somaliland appears driven by a wider desire to secure a foothold in the region’s intensifying geopolitical competition. Somaliland, for its part, also appears undeterred. Having secured what it views as a major diplomatic gain, it has increasingly signalled its willingness to deepen the relationship despite the political, regional and security costs.
Geeska
