JERUSALEM (SD) – Isaac Herzog officially received Somaliland’s representative to Israel, Mohamed Hagi, during a credential presentation ceremony held in Jerusalem.

In a statement shared on his X account, President Herzog said he was pleased to welcome what he described as Somaliland’s first ambassador to Israel.

“The ambassador spoke positively about the music group that performed the Somaliland national anthem in Israel for the first time. This new cooperation between the two sides will lead to future collaboration in various sectors, benefiting both peoples and the wider region,” Herzog stated.

The Israeli president described the diplomatic step as historic, saying Israel had become the first country to formally receive a diplomatic representative from Somaliland.

The development comes as Somaliland marks the 36th anniversary of its 1991 declaration of independence from Somalia following the collapse of Somalia’s central government.

Although Somaliland has maintained its own administration, security structures, elections, and governing institutions for more than three decades, it has not received broad international recognition as a State and is still internationally regarded as the only democratically functioning part of Somalia.

The reception of Somaliland’s representative by the Israeli president represents a potentially significant diplomatic development for Somaliland’s long-standing campaign for international recognition.

While the move does amount to formal recognition of Somaliland as an independent state, the public and official nature of the ceremony is likely to be viewed by Somaliland authorities as a diplomatic breakthrough. Israel’s decision to openly engage with Somaliland at this level could encourage further international discussions about Somaliland’s status and foreign relations.

At the same time, the development could generate political sensitivity in Somalia, where the Federal Government strongly opposes any international actions falsely perceived as undermining Somali territorial unity and sovereignty.

The event’s timing, coinciding with Somaliland’s independence anniversary, also lends the ceremony symbolic importance. Regional observers are likely to closely watch whether the relationship between Israel and Somaliland expands into broader political, economic, or security cooperation in the future.