Rapid Fire
Israel’s Recognition of Somaliland
- 31 Dec 2025
- 2 min read
Israel becomes the first country to formally recognise Somaliland (not a UN-recognised state) as an independent state, with implications for regional stability, maritime security, and great power competition.
- Israel claims the recognition is in the spirit of the Abraham Accords, as Israel seeks to normalise relations with non-traditional partners.
Somaliland
- Historical Background: Previously, it was the British Somaliland Protectorate, and it formally became a British colony in 1920. Gained independence as the State of Somaliland in 1960 before voluntarily merging with Italian Somaliland to form Somalia.
- It declared independence in 1991 after the fall of Siad Barre’s regime, following large-scale human rights abuses against the Isaaq clan, which is dominant in Somaliland.
- Operates with de facto autonomy, having its own currency, passports, police, and capital (Hargeisa), but lacks international recognition until now.
- Strategic Location: Somaliland lies in the Horn of Africa, an East African peninsula extending into the Gulf of Aden, Somali Sea, and Guardafui Channel, comprising Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia.
- The region overlooks critical global shipping routes, with the Bab el-Mandeb Strait located near Djibouti and Eritrea, linking the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.
- Security & Military Dimensions: Somaliland presents Israel with a strategic opportunity, offering a potential forward base for intelligence, logistics, and counter-Houthi operations, as well as a possible location for resettling Palestinians. The UAE operates a military port and airstrip in Berbera (port city).
| Read More: African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia |
