Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi defended his country’s growing alliance with Israel in an interview with the Jewish Chronicle, calling for stronger cooperation in security, trade and diplomacy as the strategic Horn of Africa territory gains global attention.
Hargeisa, Somaliland – In the conservative Muslim society of Somaliland, daily life revolves around Islamic tradition. Prayer calls echo across cities before sunrise, alcohol is banned nationwide, and Islamic law forms part of the territory’s legal framework. Yet despite its deeply religious identity, Somaliland has cultivated one of the Middle East’s most unexpected diplomatic relationshipsan increasingly close alliance with Israel.
The relationship reached a historic turning point in December when Israel became the first country in the world to recognize Somaliland, a self-governing territory that declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but remains internationally unrecognized by most nations.
Writing for the Jewish Chronicle, journalist Jake Wallis Simons reported from the Somaliland capital of Hargeisa on the growing partnership between the two governments and the strategic calculations reshaping politics across the Horn of Africa.
President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Irro) told the Jewish Chronicle from the presidential palace in Hargeisa that the relationship with Israel is open, strategic and rapidly evolving.
“Our relationship is very young, but from the beginning it has been an open, frank, friendly partnership,” Abdullahi told the Jewish Chronicle. “We are building links in security, the economy, trade and diplomacy.”
The Somaliland leader said he expected to make an official visit to Jerusalem later this year as cooperation expands between the two sides.
The alliance has surprised many observers given Somaliland’s overwhelmingly Muslim population and the broader hostility toward Israel often seen across parts of the Islamic world. But Abdullahi dismissed reports that Somalilanders oppose the relationship.
“We all want to see in our future relations with Israel even more friendliness, more growth, more cooperation in technological knowhow,” the president told the Jewish Chronicle.
When asked about criticism from other Muslim countries over Somaliland’s growing ties with Israel, Abdullahi responded bluntly.
“They should mind their own business,” he said with a laugh. “Every country is free to form alliances with whomever it wants.”
The partnership carries major geopolitical implications. Somaliland occupies a strategic position along the Gulf of Aden near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints linking the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean. The region has become increasingly important as Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen continue threatening international shipping lanes.
According to the report in the Jewish Chronicle, Somaliland’s coastline and the expanding port of Berbera have attracted growing interest from Israel, Gulf states and Western security planners seeking greater influence in the Red Sea corridor.
The roots of the relationship stretch back decades. Israel was among the first countries to recognize Somaliland during its brief period of internationally recognized independence in 1960 before Somaliland united voluntarily with Somalia days later.
After years of political repression and mass killings under the regime in Mogadishu during the 1980s, Somaliland reasserted its independence in 1991 following the collapse of the Somali central government.
Today, Somaliland presents itself as a rare democratic success story in the Horn of Africa. The territory has held multiple elections and is known for pioneering the use of iris-scanning technology during voting to reduce fraud.
The Jewish Chronicle article contrasted Somaliland’s relative stability with conditions in Somalia, which continues battling corruption, political instability and the insurgency of al-Shabab, the al-Qaeda-linked militant group controlling large areas of the country.
The report also highlighted growing frustration within Somaliland over Britain’s continued support for a unified Somalia despite Somaliland’s separate governance and security institutions.
President Abdullahi acknowledged that frustration in comments to the Jewish Chronicle.
“It is a double standard,” he said referring to Britain’s refusal to recognize Somaliland. “But I’m confident that in time, Britain and other countries will follow Israel and place themselves on the right side of history.”
Among the key figures behind Israel’s recognition of Somaliland was foreign affairs adviser Jama Egal, who reportedly led secret negotiations with Israeli officials.
Speaking to the Jewish Chronicle, Egal described how Somaliland appealed both to Israel’s strategic interests and to the symbolism of building ties with a Sunni Muslim society.
“The flag of Israel would be planted in the hearts of six million Sunni Muslims,” Egal told the Jewish Chronicle. “That really got them interested.”
Egal said the discussions also included Somaliland’s strategic position opposite Yemen and the Houthis, as well as the economic and security potential of the Berbera corridor.
Still, he insisted the relationship was not purely transactional.
“First and foremost, we both wanted to be genuine partners,” Egal said.
According to the report, cooperation has already expanded beyond diplomacy. Somaliland water experts, intelligence officials and special forces personnel have reportedly traveled to Israel for training programs over the past six months.
Business ties are also beginning to emerge. An economic conference involving Israeli and Somaliland entrepreneurs was recently held in Addis Ababa after Somali authorities reportedly made organizing the event in Hargeisa difficult.
Egal contrasted Somaliland’s relationship with Israel against what he described as exploitative foreign influence elsewhere in the region, particularly Turkey’s role in Somalia.
“Our relationship with Israel is nothing like that,” he told the Jewish Chronicle. “It is not exploitative. We are both helping each other.”
The report also explored shifting public attitudes toward Israel inside Somaliland. While support for Palestine historically dominated public opinion, officials now claim the recognition agreement has significantly improved perceptions of Israel among Somalilanders.
At ceremonies marking Somaliland’s Liberation Day on May 18, Israel’s delegation presented President Abdullahi with symbolic gifts including a menorah, a mezuzah and a fragment from an Iron Dome missile interceptor, underscoring the growing security relationship between the two sides.
Back in the presidential palace, Abdullahi framed Somaliland’s alliance with Israel as both moral and strategic.
“Jerusalem needs more friends and partners, especially from Islamic countries,” the president told the Jewish Chronicle. “Somaliland has actually experienced a genocide at the hands of Somalia in the Eighties. We do not sympathize with any genocide.”
He added that Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland had broken decades of diplomatic isolation.
“Israel is the only country that has taken this step,” Abdullahi said. “We hope that Britain, the EU, the USA, Arab countries and others will come to their senses and do the same.”