HARGEISA (SD)The President of Somaliland, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Irro), today received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel, Gideon Sa’ar, and a large delegation he is leading on an official visit to the Republic of Somaliland.

The President thanked the State of Israel for its courageous decision to recognize the Republic of Somaliland, describing it as having a diplomatic, economic, and developmental impact that greatly benefits the Republic of Somaliland, the Horn of Africa region, and the world at large.

The President stated that today is a great day for the Republic of Somaliland, emphasizing that Israel’s recognition strengthens Somaliland’s role in protecting peace, stability, democracy, freedom of speech, and bilateral cooperation, while also elevating a strategic partnership based on shared interests between the two nations.

For his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel, Gideon Sa’ar, confirmed that his government is pleased with the full recognition it has extended to the Republic of Somaliland and is ready to establish a close, multifaceted relationship beneficial to both nations and peoples of Israel and Somaliland.

The Israeli Foreign Minister clearly stated that his government is determined to present the historical legitimacy and independence of the Republic of Somaliland to the international community, which has long been overlooked. The Minister noted that the State of Israel previously recognized the Republic of Somaliland on June 26, 1960, and now recognizes it again on December 26, 2025, pledging to stand side-by-side with it in the future.

This historic visit, the first by a foreign minister to the Republic of Somaliland in 34 years, carries profound diplomatic significance, strategic meaning, and substantial security implications. It marks the beginning of a new phase and a fruitful partnership between Somaliland and Israel.

The arrival of Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar is not just a diplomatic visit; it is a deliberate act of statecraft aimed at normalizing and solidifying the new political reality. By personally landing in Hargeisa, Sa’ar is performing sovereignty, treating Somaliland as a peer state and forcing the world to visually process this relationship. It moves the recognition from a statement into tangible, high-level engagement, making it harder for the international community to dismiss it as a mere political stunt.

The visit follows the official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland’s independence by the State of Israel on December 26, 2025.