HARGEISA (SD) – In a historic move formalizing their recent agreement, the State of Israel has officially accepted the credentials of the first Ambassador of the Republic of Somaliland. Dr. Mohamed Haji will now serve as Somaliland’s top diplomatic representative in Israel, following the establishment of official relations between the two sides on December 26, 2025.

According to a statement from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as cited by the Somaliland News Agency (SOLNA), this appointment fulfills the agreements reached during Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s landmark visit to Somaliland last month. That visit was a crucial step in paving the way for deeper bilateral cooperation.

Dr. Mohamed Haji, who previously served as the Ambassador of Taiwan and later, an advisor to the President of Somaliland, was noted as being instrumental throughout 2025 in facilitating and building the emerging partnership between Israel and Somaliland.

“The acceptance of the ambassador’s credentials marks a new phase that will fully operationalize the relationship between the two countries,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry stated in its press release.

In a reciprocal move, the Israeli government is expected to announce its own ambassador to Somaliland in the near future, further cementing the diplomatic channel between the two nations.

Beyond the political sphere, practical cooperation is already underway. This week, a specialized training program commenced in Israel for officials from the Somaliland Water Agency and the Director General of Somaliland’s Ministry of Water. The training is organized by MASHAV, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation.

The program focuses on building, developing, and planning sustainable water sector infrastructure, aiming to establish lasting professional cooperation between the two sides.

The confirmed acceptance by Israel of an ambassador representing the Republic of Somaliland marks a major diplomatic development if accurate. Formal acceptance of credentials is one of the clearest indicators of recognized state-to-state relations. Israel acceptance of Somaliland’s ambassador following the December 26, 2025 establishment of diplomatic ties, would move the relationship beyond informal cooperation into formal bilateral recognition.

The involvement of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and reference to Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar suggest that this process is being handled at the highest governmental level. Diplomatic exchanges of ambassadors are not symbolic gestures; they institutionalize relations and create permanent political channels. When Israel also appoints its own ambassador to Somaliland, that would reinforce reciprocity and deepen the formal nature of the relationship.

For Somaliland, this would represent one of its most significant diplomatic breakthroughs since declaring independence in 1991. Recognition by a UN member state with strong international influence could strengthen Somaliland’s argument that it meets the criteria of statehood. It may also encourage engagement from other countries, even if they stop short of recognition.

The launch of a MASHAV training program for Somaliland’s water officials adds a practical dimension to the relationship. Cooperation in water management and sector planning is strategically important for Somaliland, given its vulnerability to drought and climate stress. By coupling diplomatic recognition with technical cooperation, Israel would be helping Somaliland build institutional capacity, which further strengthens its state structures.

Overall, this development signals a turning point in Somaliland’s foreign policy trajectory. It would shift Somaliland from seeking recognition to beginning to consolidate it, while also embedding it more deeply in Middle Eastern–Horn of Africa geopolitical dynamics.