Somaliland president visits Jerusalem in defiance of Mogadishu

Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed his counterpart from Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi in Jerusalem on Sunday.

"Both our countries acted with courage and realism. Israel recognized Somaliland as an independent state, which has been a reality on the ground for several decades," Herzog said during a joint news conference.

"Only one country desires to see us and recognize Somaliland, and that's the government of Israel and its people," said Abdillahi at the same briefing where the two leaders toasted together with orange juice.

A number of countries rejected Israel’s recognition of Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent nation, the first by any country in more than 30 years.

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 during a descent into conflict that continues to leave the east African country fragile.

Despite having its own government and currency, Somaliland had never been recognized by any nation until Israel did in December 2025.