Israeli foreign minister visits Somaliland after contentious recognition of breakaway territory

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Israel’s foreign minister arrived in Somaliland on Tuesday, the first visit by an Israeli senior official since that country formally recognized the breakaway Somali territory as a sovereign state.

Somaliland’s Ministry of Information said in a post on X that Gideon Saar and his delegation were received by senior members of the Somaliland Cabinet when they landed at the airport in Hargeisa, the Somaliland capital.

The ministry described the visit as a milestone in bilateral relations.

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 during a descent into conflict that continues to leave the east African country fragile. Despite having its own government and currency, Somaliland had never before been recognized by any nation.

Saar is expected to meet with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, also known as Irro, later on Tuesday at the presidential palace.

Israel announced last week that it had recognized Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, a controversial decision that was criticized by the African Union and others.

More than 20 mostly Middle Eastern or African countries and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation rejected Israel’s move.

Somalia’s federal government insists Somaliland remains an integral part of Somali territory and warns that recognition undermines Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

U.S. and Israeli officials told The Associated Press last year that Israel had approached Somaliland about taking in Palestinians from Gaza as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan at the time to resettle the territory’s population.

The U.S. has since abandoned that plan, and the State Department says it continues to recognize the territorial integrity of Somalia, “which includes the territory of Somaliland.”