HARGEISA–The Jerusalem Post, an international newspaper, recently reported that Somaliland President Abdirahman Moahmed Abdilahi Irro is expected to make an official visit to Israel at the end of March this year. This will be the first official visit by a Somaliland President to Israel. However, sources have revealed that the President previously made an unannounced visit to Israel during ongoing diplomatic talks, which ultimately led to Israel officially recognizing the Republic of Somaliland in December 2025. Somaliland, which declared its independence from Somalia in 1991, is seeking to expand its diplomatic ties with Israel and hopes to receive support in the areas of technology and agriculture, in which Israel is advanced. In an interview with France24 television, Somaliland’s current Presidential Affairs Minister, Khadar Hussein Abdi, stated that the country is willing to offer the US its abundant supply of special minerals and provide a strategic military base in order to strengthen ties with Washington and pave the way for official recognition. Somaliland believes that establishing strong relationships with major powers will greatly aid in its pursuit of international recognition. The upcoming visit by the Somaliland President to Israel coincides with intensified diplomatic efforts in Hargeisa to gain support for its quest for international recognition.
