Hargeisa — Somaliland President Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro received a telephone call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who conveyed congratulations on the occasion of May 18 and the 35th anniversary of Somaliland's restoration of sovereignty, Somaliland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday.

"H.E. President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Irro) today received a telephone call from the Prime Minister of the State of Israel, who conveyed congratulations on the occasion of 18 May and the 35th Anniversary of the Republic of Somaliland's Reassertion of Sovereignty," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry added that "the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation and relations between the Republic of Somaliland and the State of Israel."

The call marks another step in the growing diplomatic engagement between Somaliland and Israel following Israel's formal recognition of Somaliland in December 2025.

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Relations between the two sides have expanded rapidly in recent months through high-level diplomatic exchanges, economic discussions and cooperation initiatives in strategic sectors.

On May 18, Somaliland's National Day, Somaliland's first ambassador to Israel, Dr. Mohamed Hagi, formally presented his credentials to Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem, becoming Somaliland's first ambassador accredited to a foreign country.

Somaliland restored its statehood in 1991 and has since maintained its own government, security institutions and democratic system while continuing its pursuit of broader international recognition.

(Reporting by Mohamed Duale; Editing by Horn Diplomat Desk)