Israel’s Foreign Minister Makes First-Ever Visit to Somaliland

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar arrived Tuesday for an official visit to Somaliland, becoming the first Israeli foreign minister to visit the territory since Israel formally recognized it as an independent and sovereign state two weeks ago.

Somaliland media reported that Sa’ar landed in the capital, Hargeisa, and met with President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi. According to one report, Sa’ar is leading a large Israeli delegation that entered the country via Ethiopia. Somaliland officials said the foreign minister was received at the airport by senior local figures.

Officials in Somaliland told the local news site Horn Diplomat that Sa’ar and the president are expected to hold a joint press conference later Tuesday at the presidential palace. The appearance would be the first public address by senior Israeli and Somaliland leaders together following Israel’s recognition.

Israeli officials framed the visit as a practical step to translate the diplomatic decision into action. A senior official said, “the visit confirms that the Israeli recognition was not symbolic but the beginning of a real strategic partnership.” According to the officials, the talks are expected to focus on opening diplomatic missions, advancing economic cooperation, laying the groundwork for future bilateral agreements, and developing cooperation in trade, development, and security.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israel’s formal recognition of Somaliland on Friday two weeks ago. The decision marked a significant departure from longstanding international consensus, under which Somaliland, despite declaring independence in 1991, is considered under international law to be part of Somalia.

In Jerusalem, officials have said the recognition rests on strategic considerations, including Somaliland’s relative stability over more than three decades, its efforts to combat terrorist organizations, and its location in the Horn of Africa near major maritime routes in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Israeli officials have emphasized that the move is intended to build relations with a functioning political entity rather than target another state.

The recognition and Sa’ar’s visit have drawn sharp opposition from Somalia, which considers Somaliland an inseparable part of its sovereign territory. Somalia’s foreign ministry said it “categorically and unequivocally rejects the deliberate attack on its sovereignty and the unlawful step by Israel purporting to recognize the northern region of Somalia.”

Turkey, which maintains deep political and security involvement in Somalia, also condemned the move, with President Erdoğan calling Israel’s recognition “illegal and unacceptable” and warned it could drag the Horn of Africa into instability. The African Union cautioned that any attempt to undermine Somalia’s territorial integrity “risks setting a dangerous precedent,” raising concerns about broader regional implications.

In Somaliland itself, the visit has been welcomed as a historic breakthrough toward broader international legitimacy. Kan News reported that Somaliland’s president is planning an official visit to Israel in the near future, possibly as soon as this month.