January 7, 2026 | 09:19 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Israel's foreign minister is the first official to visit Somaliland following Israel's controversial recognition of the breakaway region as a sovereign state.
Gideon Saar met Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi in Hargeisa on Tuesday to discuss bilateral ties.
"We are determined to vigorously advance relations between Israel and Somaliland," Saar wrote on X.
Somalia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Saar's visit, calling it "an unacceptable interference in the internal affairs" of Somalia.
Israel recognized Somaliland independence in December
The visit comes less than two weeks after Israel became the only country in the world to recognize the breakaway region's independence.
The African Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and others have rejected Israel's recognition of Somaliland.
Despite this, Saar said the Somaliland leader has accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Israel.
Netanyahu had previously said Israel would pursue cooperation in agriculture, health, technology and the economy.
In a sign of deepening ties, Saar said "local professionals" from Somaliland's water sector would visit Israel in the coming months for training.
Read: Somaliland Denies Trading Israeli Recognition with Displaced Palestinians
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Somaliland Denies Trading Israeli Recognition with Displaced Palestinians
4 hari lalu
Somaliland denies allegations that its recognition by Israel was exchanged for setting up military bases and resettling Palestinian people from Gaza, causing tension with Somalia and widespread condemnation from the international community.
Malaysian PM Outlines Israel's Motives Behind Somaliland Recognition
5 hari lalu
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that Israel wants to relocate Palestinians to Somaliland.
21 Countries Condemn Israel's Recognition of Somaliland
8 hari lalu
Representatives from 21 Arab, Islamic, and African countries express their rejection and condemnation of Israel's decision to recognize Somaliland
Israel Becomes First Nation to Recognize Somaliland
11 hari lalu
Israel has become the world's first country to recognize Somaliland, which proclaimed independence from Somalia in 1991, as a sovereign nation.
