Israel Sends First Ambassador to Somaliland as Hargeisa Builds Embassy

Michael Lotem, the first Israeli ambassador to Somaliland, presented his credentials to President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi in Hargeisa. The ceremony took place last week, with Israeli officials formally announcing the event on Sunday. During the proceedings, officials also laid the cornerstone for the new Israeli embassy.

This diplomatic exchange fulfills an agreement reached on December 26, 2025. On that date, Israel became the first United Nations member state to recognize Somaliland. The territory declared independence from Somalia in 1991, but Mogadishu still claims control over the region. President Cirro, as Abdullahi is known, described the event as a historical day. He noted that no previous Somaliland president had received credentials from an ambassador of a UN member state recognizing its independence.

Ambassador Lotem stated that the recognition reflects thirty-five years of development in Somaliland. He characterized the move as more than a diplomatic formality. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar confirmed on Sunday that the ambassadorial exchange meets commitments made when relations were established. Sa’ar visited Somaliland in January, and the territory opened an embassy in West Jerusalem during President Cirro’s visit to Israel in June.

President Cirro emphasized the strategic value of the partnership. He pointed to the territory’s location near the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. “Given our strategic position around the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, our cooperation carries important regional and international significance,” he said. He added that Somaliland approaches the relationship with a long-term perspective.

The territory sits across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen, near the Bab al-Mandeb strait. This waterway serves as a vital shipping passage between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. Fighting has intensified in Yemen in recent weeks. On October 9, United Nations envoy Hans Grundberg warned that Yemen had returned to full-scale war. The conflict involves the Iran-aligned Houthi movement and forces of the internationally recognized government.

Defense Minister Israel Katz revealed during President Cirro’s June visit that the two nations have cooperated on secret operations for years. They expressed a desire to expand these security ties. Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud challenged Israel’s motives in an interview with Sky News this week. He argued that Israel seeks access to the Red Sea rather than supporting Somaliland’s independence. “Israel wants the Red Sea, that is the only reason,” Mohamud said. He also alleged that Israel wants a naval base in the territory.

Somaliland officials have shown openness to hosting an Israeli military base, though President Cirro recently stated that no talks had been held. Somalia condemned Israel’s December recognition as a violation of its sovereignty. The Arab League, African Union, and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation also issued condemnations of the move.