JERUSALEM: Israel on Friday formally recognised Somaliland as an “independent and sovereign state” and signed an agreement to establish diplomatic ties, as the region’s leader hailed its first-ever official recognition.
Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, has for decades pushed for international recognition, the key priority for president Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi since he took office last year.
Two sources from the Somali prime minister’s office said the government was holding a crisis meeting on Friday evening, while several countries condemned the move. One of the sources told AFP that Somalia has “communicated with its key international partners and is discussing this issue”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he announced “the official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state”, making Israel the first country to do so.
“The declaration is in the spirit of the Abraham Accords,” Netanyahu’s office said, referring to several agreements between Israel and Arab countries brokered by US President Donald Trump during his first presidency to normalise ties with Israel.
It said Netanyahu invited Abdullahi to visit.
Abdullahi hailed the Israeli move, saying it marked the beginning of a “strategic partnership”.
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