This Friday, Israel became the first member state of the United Nations to formally recognize the independence from the Somali separatist state of Somaliland Following, as announced by the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu“the spirit of the Abraham Accords” normalization of relations with Arab countries at the initiative of the president of the United States, Donald Trump.
Within hours of the announcement, Somalia and part of its international allies, including Egypt y Türkiyehave condemned what they have described a attack on territorial integrity Somali and an enormously dangerous precedent that simultaneously constitutes a threat to regional security and a direct attack on the UN Charter.
The Israeli Government had already recognized for the first time the Somaliland independencebut in a very different context than today: it was in 1960, during the five days of existence of the so-called Somaliland State. The current separatist state declared its independence in 1991 and, although it maintains certain diplomatic contacts with several countries around the world, no UN member country recognized its existence as a state, until now.
“The Prime Minister of Israel announces the official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement published on his X account.
Mutual interests
Netanyahu communicated this announcement in a telephone conversation to the president of Somaliland, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahialias ‘Irro’, while signing the formal recognition document. “The State of Israel,” added the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, “plans to immediately expand its relations with the Republic of Somaliland with extensive cooperation in the fields of agriculture, health, technology and the economy.”
In a later note, the Somaliland Foreign Ministry “welcomes and deeply appreciates the historic and well-founded decision of the State of Israel to officially recognize its sovereignty and independence” and announces its intention to adhere to the Abraham Accords to give rise to the “establishment of full diplomatic relations”.
For the Somaliland president, “this step marks the beginning of a strategic alliance that promotes mutual interestsstrengthens regional peace and security and generates shared benefits for all interested parties, without prejudice to any.”
Territorial strategy
At the end of last month, Israeli experts from the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) highlighted the importance of normalizing relations with Somaliland for two reasons: “geostrategic location and in its disposition as Stable, moderate and reliable state in a volatile region to collaborate closely with Western countries.
The INSS recalls that the coast and territory of Somaliland are about 500 kilometers from the positions of one of Israel’s great regional enemies, the Yemen Houthi insurgency.
“As the Gulf countries, the United States and Israel have fought the Houthis in recent years without achieving a decisive result, the Somaliland location and the possibility of operating from its territory, could be a turning point“adds the Institute.
For Somaliland, recognition of Israel represents a fundamental step towards its great aspiration: legitimation that seeks The United States, Israel’s great ally, which until now has expressed serious doubts about this issue due to the extent of the unmitigated rejection that the federal authorities of Somalia would exhibit in this regard.
Condemnations and concern
The Government of Somalia has unequivocally denounced the recognition of Israel after a four-way diplomatic conversation between its Foreign Minister, Abdisalam Abdi Aliand their Egyptian counterparts, Badr Abdelati; Türkiye, Hakan Fidan; and Djibouti, Abdolkader Husein Omar.
In addition, and as reported at the time by sources from the American network CNN, Israel has contemplated the idea of forcibly transferring the separatist state to the Gaza Palestiniansa notion that Foreign Ministers have openly commented on.
The result of the communication has been a joint statement where the four countries reaffirm “their total rejection and condemnation to such recognition and reiterated their full support for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia.”
“Dangerous precedent”
The four ministers denounce an Israeli decision that “constitutes a dangerous precedent and one threat to peace and international security, as well as for the established principles of International Law and the Charter of the United Nations” and emphasize their rejection “of any attempt to impose a new reality or create parallel entities that contradict international legitimacy and undermine opportunities to achieve security, stability and development.”
The signatories openly express their fear that this agreement with Somaliland is directly linked to the Gaza war and that the Somali separatist state could become the destination of a forced and illegal displacement of the Palestinian people.
“The parties emphasize the categorical rejection of any plan to displace the Palestinian people from their territorywhich the vast majority of the countries of the world reject in form, substance and categorically,” they added.
