In a pointed diplomatic statement, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has highlighted the African Union’s own 2005 assessment of the Republic of Somaliland. The Israeli ministry quoted directly from the AU fact-finding mission report to affirm Somaliland’s distinct historical claim to sovereignty.
“For anyone who forgot, this is what the African Union itself determined regarding Somaliland: The fact that the union between Somaliland and Somalia was never ratified and malfunctioned from 1960 to 1990 makes Somaliland’s search for recognition historically unique and self-justified in African political history,” the Israeli Ministry declared.
The reminder comes in the wake of Israel’s landmark decision in December 2025 to become the first United Nations member state to formally recognize the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign nation. A joint declaration signed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, then-Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, and Somaliland’s President H.E. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi established mutual recognition and laid the groundwork for diplomatic relations, including the exchange of embassies and ambassadors.
The Republic of Somaliland achieved full independence from Britain on June 26, 1960, as the State of Somaliland. Just five days later, it entered a voluntary but flawed union with the former Italian Somaliland to form the Somali Republic. That union was never properly ratified and eventually collapsed amid widespread conflict and repression.
On May 18, 1991, following the fall of the Siad Barre regime, Somaliland reasserted its independence and the sovereignty it had briefly exercised in 1960. Since then, it has governed itself peacefully as a stable democracy, conducting multiparty elections and maintaining its own institutions, currency, and security forces—without descending into the chaos that engulfed much of the rest of the Horn of Africa.
Unlike a typical secessionist movement carving territory from an established state, Somaliland’s position rests on the restoration of its prior independent status. This perspective was reinforced by the African Union’s 2005 fact-finding mission. The AU team, which visited the country, described the case as exceptional in African political history and recommended a special approach rather than dismissing it as a threat to continental borders.
The Republic of Somaliland continues to present itself as a nation that has successfully rebuilt itself on the foundations of its colonial-era independence, demonstrating effective governance and resilience in the Horn of Africa.
As international attention grows following Israel’s recognition, questions remain about whether other nations will engage with these historical realities—or whether the AU’s own words from two decades ago will prompt a reassessment of long-held positions.