Israel becomes first country to recognize Somaliland in slight to Turkey

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recognized Somaliland on Friday, making Israel the first country to do so and prompting a strong rebuke from Turkey.

What happened: Netanyahu said Israel and Somaliland signed a “joint and mutual declaration.” Netanyahu and Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi were present at the virtual ceremony, the Israeli premier said on X. 

“The State of Israel plans to immediately expand its relations with the Republic of Somaliland through extensive cooperation in the fields of agriculture, health, technology and economy,” said Netanyahu. 

In a video posted by his office, Netanyahu said he would inform US President Donald Trump of Somaliland's desire to join the Abraham Accords.

"I'll communicate to President Trump your willingness and desire to join the Abraham Accords," said Netanyahu on the US-brokered normalization agreements between Israel and other states in the wider region.

Abdillahi said in a post on X that he affirms Somaliland's "readiness" to join the accords.

Somaliland is a breakaway state from Somalia that has governed itself since 1991. 

The Somaliland presidency said in a post on X that Netanyahu's decision "affirms Somaliland’s enduring statehood," adding that Netanyahu invited Abdillahi to visit Israel. 

The announcement was made during a virtual meeting and the two leaders spoke by video call, according to images released by Netanyahu’s office. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar held a call of his own with Abdillahi on Friday to discuss bilateral ties, he said on X.

Why it matters: Somaliland has sought diplomatic recognition for years but is currently stepping up such efforts, as seen in Abdillahi’s October visit to Ethiopia. Although Somaliland was not fully recognized by any country until Friday, it maintains diplomatic contacts with states including Ethiopia, the United States and the United Arab Emirates, holding meetings with officials from those countries. Gen. Dagvin Anderson, head of the US military's African Command, visited Somaliland earlier this month and held talks with Abdillahi. 

Somaliland officials participated in the World Government Summit in Dubai in February and held meetings with Emirati officials on the sidelines, the Somaliland Foreign Ministry announced at the time. 

The UAE reportedly has a military base in Somaliland, according to organizations such as the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Soufan Center, though Abu Dhabi has never confirmed this. The Emirati port giant DP World has a port in the Somaliland city Berbera.

The UAE and Bahrain were the first countries to join the Abraham Accords with Israel in 2020.

Turkey has a consulate in the Somaliland capital, Hargeisa. 

Israel has been working to improve its ties with sub-Saharan African states. It received observer status in the African Union in 2021, but this was suspended in 2023 amid opposition from many member states. As a member of the Arab League, Somalia lacks diplomatic relations with Israel. The Horn of Africa is a strategically significant region with its proximity to the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mendeb Strait. The sea handles around 30% of the world's container traffic. 

The UAE Foreign Ministry, the Somali Foreign Ministry, the US State Department and the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to Al-Monitor's request for comment. 

The recognition provoked the ire of Turkey, a country already at odds with Israel. Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli called the recognition a "new example of the Netanyahu government's unlawful actions aimed at creating instability at both regional and global levels."

Keceli referred to Netanyahu's declaration as an example of "expansionist policies," adding that Turkey "steadfastly supports Somalia's territorial integrity."

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed the Israeli recognition with his Egyptian, Saudi and Jordanian counterparts, a Turkish Foreign Ministry source told reporters on Friday, adding that Fidan also held a phone conversation with  Massad Boulos, the Trump administration’s special envoy to Africa.

Somalia is a strategic pillar of Ankara’s Africa policy and one of its closest partners on the continent, hosting Turkey’s largest overseas military base and receiving extensive Turkish military, economic and humanitarian support.

Ankara, which vocally backs Somalia’s territorial integrity, may view Netanyahu’s move as a direct challenge to its interests in the region, its security cooperation with Mogadishu and its broader ambition to project influence across Africa. 

In August, Somaliland criticized Turkey after the Turkish ambassador to Somalia met in Mogadishu with a Somaliland rebel leader who supports reunification.