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Israel became the first country to formally recognize the Republic of Somaliland.
By Shula Rosen
Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland could pave the way for security cooperation that may eventually place Israeli assets along the Red Sea coast opposite Yemen, a senior Somaliland official said Wednesday.
Khadar Hussein Abdi, Somaliland’s minister of the presidency, told Bloomberg that relations between the two sides are expected to include a strategic security dimension as ties develop following Israel’s recognition of the territory in late December.
Israel became the first country to formally recognize the Republic of Somaliland, a northeastern part of Somalia that has long claimed independence.
“In terms of security, we will have a strategic relationship, and that encompasses a lot of things,” Abdi told Bloomberg.
“We haven’t discussed with them if it becomes a military base, but definitely, there will be an analysis at some point.”
Two Somaliland officials speaking anonymously to the news outlet said Israel could benefit from Somaliland’s location near the Gulf of Aden by conducting intelligence collection and operational activity connected to Yemen’s Houthi movement.
The Red Sea corridor has become increasingly significant as the Houthis have carried out attacks on vessels and launched missiles and drones toward Israel.
A position closer to Yemen could potentially allow Israel to monitor developments involving the group.
Shortly after recognition was announced, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel intended to move quickly to develop cooperation with Somaliland in areas including agriculture, health, technology, and economic activity.
Days before the start of Operation Roaring Lion, Somaliland also sent its first official delegation to Israel to begin building professional ties.
The discussions were focused largely on transferring Israeli expertise in agricultural technology and water recycling.
Analysts said the relationship could influence regional dynamics around the Horn of Africa.
“The Israeli relationship with Somaliland matters in large part because the Houthis are expanding along the Horn of Africa,” Ari Heistein, a research fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, told Bloomberg.
“If the ongoing US-Israel campaign degrades Iran’s ability to support the movement, the region could become an even more critical strategic arena for them.”
Somaliland officials acknowledged that the developing partnership has drawn opposition from several actors.
“We have a lot of enemies to this, who really want to put pressure on Israel,” Mohamed Abdirahman, the director-general of Somaliland’s foreign ministry, said.
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