Israel on Friday became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland, an autonomous region that broke away from Somalia decades ago, in a reciprocal agreement that expands recognition of the Jewish state in the Muslim world.
Somaliland, in northwestern Somalia, has long been in conflict with the central government, declaring independence in 1991 as Somalia descended into civil war and chaos. Since then, Somaliland has governed most of the territory it claims, largely in peace and stability, but it had not received international recognition.
The moves by Israel and Somaliland drew swift condemnation from some of their neighbors.
Egypt said in a statement that its foreign minister had spoken by phone with his counterparts in Somalia, Turkey and Djibouti and that “they underscored their complete rejection of any unilateral measures that could undermine Somali sovereignty or erode the foundations of stability in the country.”
Somalia’s government criticized what it called an “unlawful step” by Israel and said Somaliland was “an integral, inseparable, and inalienable part” of Somalia.
Many other nations are struggling to contain their own secessionist movements, and they are wary that recognition of one breakaway region could start a cascade of independence claims.
Most majority-Muslim nations in the Middle East and beyond do not recognize Israel, though Turkey and Egypt are notable exceptions. In 2020, the Abraham Accords brokered by the first Trump administration established formal relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco. Israel has been eager to add others to that list.
The agreement with Somaliland “is in the spirit of the Abraham Accords,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said in a statement. He added, “The State of Israel plans to immediately expand its relations with the Republic of Somaliland through extensive cooperation in the fields of agriculture, health, technology, and economy.”
This year, news reports said that the United States and Israel had approached Somaliland, among others, about accepting the resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza. Neither Somaliland, which said at the time that there had been no such discussions, nor Israel addressed the idea in their respective statements on Friday.
Egypt said in its statement on Friday that it and its allies “reaffirmed their categorical rejection of any plans to displace the Palestinian people outside their land.” Human rights groups say forced relocation is a crime under international law.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, European colonial powers fought to dominate the Horn of Africa. The British seized the area between Ethiopia and the Gulf of Aden, now claimed by Somaliland. The Italians took over the lands to the east and south, on the Indian Ocean.
Upon independence in 1960, the two regions united to form the nation of Somalia, with its capital, Mogadishu, in the south. But many people in the former British territory soon felt marginalized and neglected.
By the 1980s, political exclusion and repression under the dictator Mohamed Siad Barre had fueled an armed uprising in the north. The Somali Army responded with a brutal campaign that included widespread massacres. When Mr. Barre was overthrown and the central government collapsed in 1991, Somaliland’s leaders declared the union dissolved.
Somaliland, which has about five million people, has since built many of the institutions of a state, including an elected Parliament and its own currency, flag, military and police force. It has been described as an oasis of relative calm in a region torn by conflicts.
But since 2023 Somaliland has fought local militias for control of the city of Las Anod, and Amnesty International has accused the Somaliland forces of indiscriminately killing and injuring civilians there, which the government has denied.
The lack of international recognition limited Somaliland’s ability to sign security agreements, gain access to global markets and even to fully control its airspace.
In an effort to change that dynamic, Somaliland has for years cultivated ties with Republican lawmakers, conservative policy groups and former officials in the Trump administration, many of whom have urged the United States to deepen its engagement with the region and recognize Somaliland.
Somaliland officials told The New York Times this year that they were eager to pursue a deal with President Trump that would allow the United States to lease a port along the Gulf of Aden and a Cold War-era airstrip in return for long-sought international recognition. Such backing from Mr. Trump, they said, could help attract foreign investment and expand diplomatic and security ties.
Some analysts warn, however, that recognition could unsettle the region, bolster terrorist groups such as Al Shabab and complicate relations with major regional players like Egypt, Turkey and the African Union.
Abdi Latif Dahir is the East Africa correspondent for The Times, based in Nairobi, Kenya. He covers a broad range of issues including geopolitics, business, society and arts.
The post Israel Becomes the First Nation to Recognize Somaliland appeared first on New York Times.
