Somaliland President Abdullahi ‍and Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Photo: Collected

JERUSALEM, June 14, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Somaliland's President Abdirahman 
Mohamed Abdullahi met his Israeli counterpart on Sunday in Jerusalem in his 
first-ever state visit, which comes months after Israel officially recognised 
the breakaway African state.

In December, Israel became the first country to recognise the independence of 
Somaliland since it declared its autonomy from Somalia in 1991 following a 
civil war.

"The visit carries special significance," said Abdullahi, according to a 
statement issued by the office of Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

"It is the first state visit by a president of the Republic of Somaliland to 
another country, and we are deeply appreciative that the State of Israel has 
chosen to receive us with such an honour on this historic occasion," 
Abdullahi said.

"Somaliland has been talking, has been reaching out to the world leaders for 
the last 35 years. They were asking only one question: to see us. Only one 
country desired to see us and recognise Somaliland, and that's the government 
of Israel and its people."

Somaliland enjoys a strategic position on the Gulf of Aden and has its own 
currency, passport and army, but has struggled to win international 
recognition amid concerns in many capitals that this would provoke Somalia 
and encourage other separatist movements in Africa.

Herzog said that Abdullahi's visit "symbolises the great potential of this 
wonderful new partnership", according to the statement, adding that he hoped 
for increased bilateral "cooperation in a range of fields".

"We both face the threat of radical extremism. We both seek security and 
stability in the region and in the Horn of Africa. We both see the importance 
of protecting maritime freedom," Herzog said.

The visit comes just weeks after Israel appointed its first ambassador to 
Somaliland, a reciprocal move after Somaliland named its own envoy to Israel.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar had travelled to Somaliland in January -
- a trip that drew sharp condemnation from Somalia, which described it as an 
"unauthorised incursion".