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".

BSS/AFP/SSS/2007 hrs