Mogadishu, Somalia / Jerusalem — A major geopolitical shift has occurred in the Horn of Africa as Israel officially became the first nation to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent sovereign state. Somaliland, which has operated as a de facto independent region since 1991 but is internationally viewed as part of Somalia, welcomed the move as a historic breakthrough for its quest for global legitimacy.
The reaction from Mogadishu has been swift and fierce. The Somali government has condemned the move as a violation of its territorial integrity and has demanded an immediate withdrawal of the recognition. Somali officials have alleged that the move is a strategic play by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to gain a foothold in the Red Sea and potentially displace Palestinians from Gaza to the region—a claim Israel has dismissed as baseless. This recognition threatens to upend delicate power balances in East Africa and create a new rift between Israel and the African Union
Israel Recognizes Somaliland
Israel Recognizes Somaliland
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