Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Tuesday completed his first official diplomatic visit to Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, marking a historic milestone in relations following Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign state.
The visit, conducted discreetly at the direction of security officials, was held at the invitation of Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi and is now being officially announced.
Sa’ar was greeted at the airport by Somaliland’s foreign minister before holding high-level meetings at the presidential palace with President Abdullahi, Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Adam, Minister of the Presidency Khader Hussein Abdi, Chief of Staff Brigadier-General Nimsan Yusuf Osman, as well as Parliament Speaker Yasin Haji Mohamed and Senate Speaker Sullivan Mahmoud Aden.
During the meetings, Sa’ar and President Abdullahi issued joint statements emphasizing the historic nature of the visit. Sa’ar confirmed that Israel and Somaliland signed a mutual recognition agreement on December 26, establishing full diplomatic relations. Under the agreement, the two countries will appoint ambassadors and open embassies in the near future.
“This is a historic agreement,” Sa’ar said. “We agreed to work together to advance relations for the prosperity of both nations and to build a warm friendship not only between governments, but also between the people of Israel and Somaliland.”
He highlighted existing and planned cooperation across several sectors, including water, medicine, education, and defense.
An Israeli water expert has already conducted a survey in Somaliland, and plans are underway to bring local professionals to Israel for training while sending Israeli experts to implement solutions on the ground.
Sa’ar also noted that 49 Somaliland children have received life-saving heart surgery in Israel, and additional medical and educational collaborations are expected.
The Israeli minister emphasized Somaliland’s stable democratic institutions and peaceful transitions of power, noting the country’s most recent elections in November 2024. He described Somaliland as a fully functioning state under international law and welcomed its intention to join the Abraham Accords. Sa’ar also reiterated an invitation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for President Abdullahi to visit Israel.
President Abdullahi welcomed Sa’ar’s visit as a historic moment and confirmed that Somaliland will open an embassy in Israel, while also expressing readiness to host a permanent Israeli diplomatic mission in Hargeisa.