Minister of the Presidency of the Republic of Somaliland, Khadar Hussein Abdi poses with a framed certificate containing a signed declaration of recognition as a state by Israel during an interview in Hargeisa on Feb. 21, 2026. (Credit: Tony Karumba / AFP)
The Israeli foreign ministry said on Wednesday it had approved the appointment of the first ambassador of Somaliland to Israel, months after the country officially recognised the breakaway region in the Horn of Africa.
In December, the Israeli government became the first country to recognise the independence of Somaliland since it declared its autonomy from Somalia in 1991 following a civil war.
The ministry posted on X that the government had approved "Somaliland's first ambassador to Israel, Dr Mohamed Hagi."
It said Hagi, who currently serves as an advisor to the president of Somaliland, had helped promote the establishment of relations between Israel and Somaliland throughout 2025.
The ministry also said that Israel would soon appoint its own ambassador to Somaliland.
Somaliland enjoys a strategic position on the Gulf of Aden and has its own currency, passport and army, but has struggled to win international recognition, amid fears of provoking Somalia and encouraging other separatist movements in Africa.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar visited Somaliland in January, which Somalia condemned as an "unauthorized incursion."
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