Almost two years to the day when Ethiopia signed the controversial MoU with Somaliland, the state of Israel officially recognized the Republic of Somaliland as a sovereign state. Both the maritime access deal and Israel's recognition were swiftly met with objections and uproar from all parts of the globe.
Israel's announcement on December 26, 2025, which ended Somaliland's decades-long wait for recognition, sparked criticism and condemnation from almost all Arab states, the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, and several others, who warn the move could further destabilize the Horn of Africa.
Behind the commotion, however, lies a complex tale of identity, independence, and geopolitical maneuvering.
Last week was not the first time that Somaliland has been recognized internationally as a sovereign state.
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In June 1960, the former British Somaliland protectorate obtained independence as the State of Somaliland. During its brief existence, the State of Somaliland received international recognition from 35 countries, including five permanent UN Security Council members and Ethiopia.
At the time, Somalia (a former Italian colony) was a UN protectorate, and following a five-day period when the State of Somaliland was an independent country, the two merged to form the Somali Republic.
However, the union was rocky from the outset and Somaliland began a bloody and brutal 10-year war of independence in response to what its leaders saw as undue interference and repression from Mogadishu.
In 1991, after the overthrow of Somali military dictator Siad Barre, Somaliland declared itself an independent state.
For the past three decades, unlike Somalia, Somaliland has enjoyed stable politics, elections, governance and economy. Analysts point out that although it is not recognized as such, Somaliland is among the most democratic states in Africa.
Over this period, Somaliland has disengaged itself from Somalia. Efforts to integrate failed in the 1990s, and Turkish-mediated talks that started in 2012 also went nowhere.
It is against this historical backdrop that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his country's decision to recognize Somaliland last week.
The announcement also triggered a global outcry. Within 48 hours, the AU, IGAD, and others had issued condemnations. Twenty African and Middle Eastern nations signed a joint statement denouncing the "illegal recognition."
The Arab League convened an emergency session in response, and Somalia, currently serving as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, secured an emergency meeting this week, where all but the representatives of the US and Israel opposed the decision.
The Arab League's UN emissary, Maged Abdelfattah Abdelaziz, told the Council that the League rejects "any measures arising from this illegitimate recognition aimed at facilitating forced displacement of the Palestinian people or exploiting northern Somali ports to establish military bases."
Somalia's representative at the UNSC session vehemently opposed the move as a "flagrant assault" on his country's unity and territorial integrity that risks inflaming tensions in the Horn of Africa and undercuts Mogadishu's sovereignty and political cohesion. He also alleged that Israel seeks to resettle Palestinians in Somaliland.
The words echoed statements made by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud during a recent interview with Aljazeera. He alleged that in exchange for recognition, Somaliland had agreed to the provision of an Israeli military base on the Gulf of Aden coast and Somaliland's accession to the Abraham Accords."
Somaliland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has since denied the claims.
"Somaliland's engagement with the State of Israel is purely diplomatic, conducted in full respect of international law and the mutual sovereign interests of both countries," reads a Ministry statement published on social media. "These baseless allegations are intended to mislead the international community and undermine Somaliland's diplomatic progress.
Israel's representatives at the UNSC stated the country has been a supporter of Somaliland's independence since inception, and argued that recognition was not a hostile act.
"It is not a hostile step toward Somalia, nor does it preclude future dialogue between the parties. Recognition is not an act of defiance. It is an opportunity," Israel's Deputy UN Ambassador Jonathan Miller told the UN Security Council on Monday.
In an interview with Newsmax on Wednesday, Netanyahu stated that his government was moving ahead with the recognition because "Somaliland is a peaceful and democratic country willing to join the Abraham Accord.' He also argued that Somalia does not conduct democratic elections and said the country remains in the grip of Al-Shabaab.
Meanwhile, the US defended Israel's decision at the emergency UNSC session. Washington's representatives argued the Council's decision to discuss the issue contrasted with the decision taken by a number of UN member states to recognize a Palestinian state earlier in the year--a move the US opposed strongly.
"Earlier this year, several countries, including members of this Council, made the unilateral decision to recognise a non-existent Palestinian state, and yet no emergency meeting was called to express this Council's outrage," US deputy ambassador to the UN, Tammy Bruce, said.
China added to the chorus of dissent most recently, with its foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian telling reporters: "No country should encourage or support other countries' internal separatist forces for its own selfish interests."
However, Israel's deputy ambassador to the UN, maintained the recognition is "a lawful, principled acknowledgement of a long-established reality, consistent with international law and aligned with the values that this Council is meant to uphold."
Somalia's representative, taking the floor for a second time, delivered a rebuttal to Israel's delegate, stressing that it was outrageous for a delegate to "lecture us today" while it is "deliberately starving" Gaza and has killed more than 70,000 civilians, including children, women and the elderly.
He insisted Somalia is "one country, one people, one religion" that fought together for independence and is united in battling terrorism in the Horn of Africa.
Several African and Arab countries also condemned Israel's recognition of Somaliland, with Djibouti's representative echoing recent statements issued by the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Arab League, the Organization for Islamic Cooperation and others.
South Africa's delegate stated that Israel has been allowed to get away with a myriad of transgressions and now sees fit to undermine the territorial integrity of Somalia.
"We affirm that 'Somaliland' is an integral part of Somalia," she said.
The newly elected AU Commissioner from Djibouti, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, stated "the Commission unequivocally reaffirms the longstanding and consistent position of the African Union, grounded in the principles enshrined in the Constitutive Act of the African Union, in particular the respect for the intangibility of borders inherited at independence, as affirmed by the 1964 decision of the Organization of African Unity."
However, the statement contradicts the conclusions of an AU Fact Finding Mission to Somaliland from 2005, which had recognized the validity of Somaliland's quest for statehood.
"The fact that the union between Somaliland and Somalia was never ratified and also malfunctioned when it went into action from 1960 to 1990, makes Somaliland's search for recognition historically unique and self-justified in African political history," reads an AU report published following the mission.
Nonetheless, the AU observer at the UNSC rejected any initiative or measure aiming to recognize Somaliland as an independent entity, adding that any attempt to undermine Somalia's unity, sovereignty or territorial integrity is "inconsistent with the main principles of the African Union."
Likewise, the Arab League's permanent observer said Israel is seeking to "legitimize the secessionist aspirations" as a pretext for an "illegal presence" on Somali soil to advance its own political, security and economic agendas.
Recognizing the independence of parts of the territory of a sovereign State is not only an infringement on sovereignty but "a direct threat to international security", warned Egypt's delegate. Türkiye's delegate said Israel's announcement is "another example of the Netanyahu government's unlawful actions aimed at creating instability" regionally and globally.
This is an "illegal, null and void, unilateral action" that has no legal effect as it violates both Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and the UN Charter, Kuwait's representative stressed.
He urged the Council to "take a firm position against this unlawful Israeli act".
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Though not internationally recognised, Somaliland has a working political system, government institutions, a police force, and its own currency.
Those in favour of Somaliland's independence argue that the region is predominantly populated by those from the Isaaq clan - an ethnic difference from the rest of Somalia.
Also, Somaliland, home to roughly six million people, enjoys relative peace and stability. Its proponents argue that it should not be shackled to Somalia, which has long been wracked by Islamist militant attacks.
However, Somalia considers Somaliland to be an integral part of its territory. The government in Mogadishu has repeatedly said that any recognition of Somaliland's independence would contravene Somalia's sovereignty.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has also characterised Israel's declaration as an "existential threat" to his country's unity.
Despite the uproar, geopolitical and security analysts who spoke to The Reporter this week say Israel's declaration was not unexpected.
"Following Israel's attacks on Gaza, the Yemeni Houthis had been targeting Israeli and US ships passing through the Red Sea. Hence, Israel has been looking for an alliance on the Red Sea coast to launch attacks on the Houthis. Now, Israel has recognized Somaliland in a bid to get a foot in the door of the Horn's geopolitics, as well as to gain a military base on the Red Sea," said one analyst, speaking anonymously.
In terms of what the recognition of Somaliland means for Ethiopia, analysts say Addis Ababa can revive the maritime access MoU from January 2024. Others, however, argue the agreement was voided when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud signed the Ankara Declaration a year later.
Ethiopia has yet to make an official statement on Somaliland's sovereignty or Israel's declaration.
During a parliamentary session this week, lawmakers inquired about the administration's intentions regarding Somaliland. Foreign Minister Gedion Timotiwos and his deputies refrained from responding to any questions related to Somaliland.
Reports indicate that Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, president of Somaliland, will make an official visit to Israel later this month.
