HARGEISA/MOGADISHU, Jan. 6, 2026 — Somalia has denounced Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s visit to Somaliland as “unacceptable interference” in the internal affairs of a UN member state, warning that the trip violates the UN Charter, the African Union’s founding act, and international norms on sovereignty.
Somalia’s foreign ministry said any official engagement conducted in Hargeisa without the consent of the federal government in Mogadishu is illegal and lacks legitimacy, and it urged international organizations — including the UN and the AU — to reaffirm Somalia’s territorial unity.
Sa’ar met Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (also known as Irro) at the presidential palace in Hargeisa, where the two held a joint press conference and discussed expanding bilateral ties, including cooperation in sectors such as agriculture, health, technology and economic development, according to Reuters. Sa’ar also delivered an invitation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Abdullahi to visit Israel, Reuters reported.
The visit follows Israel’s Dec. 26 decision to become the first country to formally recognise Somaliland as an independent state — a move that has triggered sharp diplomatic pushback across the region. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has lacked broad international recognition.
Regional opposition is also intensifying at the continental level. South African outlet News24 reported that the African Union convened an emergency ministerial session to address Israel’s recognition and Sa’ar’s high-profile visit, as several governments warned the decision could destabilise the Horn of Africa.
Analysts say Israel’s interest is partly strategic: Somaliland sits along the Gulf of Aden near major global shipping lanes and across from conflict-prone Yemen. Somaliland, meanwhile, has rejected claims that recognition is tied to hosting Israeli military bases or resettling Palestinians from Gaza, calling such reports baseless.
