Donald Trump
AFP News

Somaliland's 34-year campaign for international recognition has taken a dramatic and uncertain turn after Israel became the first country to formally recognise it as a sovereign state, while President Donald Trump publicly opposed any move by the United States to do the same.

The conflicting signals from key global players have placed the self-declared republic at the centre of a fast-moving diplomatic storm, raising questions about security, regional stability and whether Israel's move will unlock wider recognition or harden resistance.

Israel Makes a Historic Diplomatic Move

Israel's foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar announced that Israel and Somaliland had agreed to establish full diplomatic relations, including the opening of embassies and the appointment of ambassadors.

The move marks the first time a UN member state has formally recognised Somaliland since it declared independence from Somalia in 1991.

The Israeli prime minister's office said the recognition was made 'in the spirit' of the Abraham Accords, the 2020 normalisation agreements between Israel and several Arab states.

A video released by the office showed Benjamin Netanyahu speaking with Somaliland's president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, describing the relationship as historic and inviting him to visit Israel. Abdullahi responded that he would be glad to visit Jerusalem as soon as possible.

For Somaliland, which controls north-western Somalia and operates as a de facto state, the announcement was widely seen as a diplomatic breakthrough after decades of isolation.

Donald Trump Opposed US Recognition

Any sense of momentum was quickly complicated by President Donald Trump, who said he opposed US recognition of Somaliland in an interview with the New York Post. Questioning the territory's profile, Trump asked: 'Does anyone know what Somaliland is, really?'

His comments underscored divisions within Washington, where the administration is reportedly split on whether recognising Somaliland would undermine relations with Somalia.

The US maintains troops in Somalia to support local forces fighting the Islamist group al-Shabaab, and officials have warned that a shift in recognition policy could jeopardise that cooperation.

Regional and International Backlash Builds

Somalia's foreign ministry condemned Israel's decision, calling it a deliberate attack on Somalia's sovereignty that could destabilise the region.

The African Union echoed that view, saying it firmly rejected the move and warning that undermining Somalia's territorial integrity risked setting a dangerous precedent across Africa, according to reporting by The Guardian.

The AU's chair, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, said Somaliland remains an integral part of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

Egypt and Turkey also criticised Israel's recognition, with Ankara describing it as interference in Somalia's internal affairs that aligned with Israel's broader regional agenda.

The coordinated pushback has added to the sense of diplomatic chaos surrounding Somaliland's status, even as it celebrates its first formal recognition.

Strategic Interests Driving Attention

Israeli analysts have argued that Somaliland's location near Yemen and key Red Sea shipping routes gives it strategic importance.

An Israeli thinktank, the Institute for National Security Studies, said Somaliland could serve as a forward base for intelligence gathering, logistics and potential operations linked to the conflict with the Houthi movement in Yemen.

Somaliland already hosts a United Arab Emirates military base in the port city of Berbera, which includes an airstrip used for fighter jets and transport aircraft. Analysts have described the base as a central element of the UAE's anti-Houthi campaign.

Washington's Quiet Engagement

Despite Trump's opposition, US engagement with Somaliland has continued behind the scenes. Somaliland's president has said senior US military officials, including the top officer for the Horn of Africa, have visited the territory, with further delegations expected.

Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint published in 2023, called for recognising Somaliland as a hedge against the US's weakening position in Djibouti, where Chinese influence has grown.

In August, Republican senator Ted Cruz urged Trump to recognise Somaliland, citing its support for Israel and the Abraham Accords.

Governance and Ongoing Scrutiny

Somaliland has a population of just over 6.2 million and has held multiple elections with peaceful transfers of power.

However, Freedom House has warned of an erosion of political rights and civic space in recent years, noting pressure on journalists and opposition figures.

As Somaliland navigates the fallout from Israel's recognition and President Donald Trump's opposition to US recognition, its long quest for statehood has entered a more volatile and closely watched phase, with global powers now openly divided over its future.

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