Israel approved Somaliland’s first ambassador on Wednesday, deepening ties months after formally recognising the breakaway region in the Horn of Africa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel said the government endorsed Dr Mohamed Hagi as Somaliland’s inaugural envoy to Israel.
In December, Israel became the first country to recognise Somaliland’s independence since it split from Somalia in 1991. Somaliland declared autonomy after civil war engulfed Somalia, forging its own institutions while remaining largely unrecognised internationally.
The ministry announced on X that Hagi currently serves as an adviser to the Somaliland president. It said he had worked throughout 2025 to promote diplomatic relations between Israel and Somaliland.
Israel also plans to appoint its own ambassador to Somaliland in the near future, the statement added. Somaliland occupies a strategic stretch along the Gulf of Aden, a vital maritime corridor linking continents and trade routes.
The region maintains its own currency, passport and army, operating in practice as a state despite limited global recognition. Many governments have hesitated to recognise Somaliland, wary of angering Somalia and fuelling separatist movements across Africa.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar visited Somaliland in January, signalling growing engagement between the two sides. Somalia condemned the visit as an unauthorised incursion, underscoring tensions over sovereignty and diplomatic legitimacy.