Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar arrived in Somaliland on Tuesday for the first high-level diplomatic visit since Israel became the first country in the world to formally recognize the breakaway region's independence, a move that has drawn condemnation from across Africa and the Middle East.

Saar landed in the capital Hargeisa and was received by government officials at the airport before meeting with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi at the presidential palace, according to a statement from Somaliland's presidency. The visit, conducted discreetly at the direction of security officials, came at the invitation of Somaliland's president.

"We hear the attacks, the criticism, the condemnations," Saar said during the visit. "Nobody will determine for Israel who we recognize and who we maintain diplomatic relations with."

Saar confirmed that Israel and Somaliland signed a mutual recognition agreement on December 26, establishing full diplomatic relations. Under the agreement, the two countries will appoint ambassadors and open embassies in the near future.

"This is a historic agreement," Saar said. "We agreed to work together to advance relations for the prosperity of both nations and to build a warm friendship not only between governments, but also between the people of Israel and Somaliland."

African Union demands immediate revocation

The African Union's Political Affairs Peace and Security Council convened an emergency ministerial session Tuesday to address Israel's recognition of Somaliland and called for its "immediate revocation."

"The Council strongly condemns, in the strongest terms, the unilateral recognition of the so-called 'Republic of Somaliland' by Israel," the AU said in a post on X after the ministerial meeting.

Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelaty told the AU session that Israel's recognition represented "a blatant violation" of Somalia's sovereignty and sets a "dangerous precedent that threatens regional and international peace and security."

AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf rejected "firmly" any initiative or action aimed at recognizing Somaliland as an independent entity, warning that such action "risks setting a dangerous precedent with far-reaching implications for peace and stability across the continent."

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the regional bloc, also reaffirmed its commitment to the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Somalia, stating that "any unilateral recognition runs contrary to the Charter of the United Nations, the Constitutive Act and the Agreement establishing IGAD."

More than 20 mostly Middle Eastern or African countries and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation rejected Israel's move. Countries expressing opposition include Djibouti, Egypt, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, as well as the Arab League.

Somalia condemns visit as 'unauthorized incursion'

Somalia's Foreign Ministry condemned Saar's visit as an "unauthorized incursion" into its sovereign territory and "unacceptable interference in the internal affairs" of Somalia.

The ministry said any official presence or engagement in Somali territory without Mogadishu's consent was "illegal, null, and void."

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 after the overthrow of Somali military dictator Siad Barre. However, the region has remained unrecognized on the global stage for more than 30 years, and Somalia considers Somaliland to be an integral part of its territory.

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud alleged in an interview with Al Jazeera that Somaliland accepted three Israeli conditions in exchange for recognition: resettling Palestinians from Gaza, hosting an Israeli military base, and joining the Abraham Accords.

Somaliland has denied agreeing to resettle Palestinians or host military facilities, insisting its engagement with Israel is "purely diplomatic" and conducted "in full respect of international law."

"The Government of the Republic of Somaliland firmly rejects false claims made by the president of Somalia alleging the resettlement of Palestinians or the establishment of military bases in Somaliland," Somaliland's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

However, Bashir Goth, Somaliland's representative to the United States, told the Middle East Forum: "As two independent countries which recognise each other, with diplomatic relations, there is nothing that can stop us from having a security cooperation or a security pact."

Cooperation agreements and embassy plans

During the meetings in Hargeisa, Saar highlighted existing and planned cooperation across several sectors, including water, medicine, education and defense.

An Israeli water expert has already conducted a survey in Somaliland, and plans are underway to bring local professionals to Israel for training while sending Israeli experts to implement solutions on the ground.

"In the coming months, we'll bring local professionals from Somaliland's water sector to Israel for training," Saar said. "We'll also send Israeli experts here to help implement new capabilities."

Saar noted that 49 Somaliland children have received life-saving heart surgery in Israel, and additional medical and educational collaborations are expected.

The Israeli minister emphasized Somaliland's stable democratic institutions and peaceful transitions of power, noting the country's most recent elections in November 2024. He described Somaliland as a fully functioning state under international law and welcomed its intention to join the Abraham Accords.

Saar also reiterated an invitation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for President Abdullahi to visit Israel.

"Unlike 'Palestine', Somaliland is not a virtual state," Saar said in an official statement. He added that Somaliland was "pro-western and friendly to Israel."

Somaliland's president confirmed that Somaliland will open an embassy in Israel while also expressing readiness to host a permanent Israeli diplomatic mission in Hargeisa.

Strategic and geopolitical context

Israel's recognition came at a time of major geopolitical rivalry and rising tension along the coast of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, involving various regional powers including Turkey, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Geographically, Somaliland occupies a critical position on the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea. This chokepoint is a vital artery for global commerce and energy shipments moving between Asia and Europe via the Suez Canal.

In exchange for its recognition, Israel is expected to gain a foothold across Yemen's coast, potentially availing it access to bases or ports for maritime intelligence and security operations on the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The leader of Yemen's Houthi rebels warned that any Israeli presence in Somaliland would be considered a "military target."

"We consider any Israeli presence in Somaliland a military target for our armed forces as it constitutes aggression against Somalia and Yemen, and a threat to the security of the region," said the group's chief, Abdel-Malik al-Houthi, according to a statement published by rebel media in late December.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud held talks in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Monday, with both countries affirming their commitment to preserving Somalia's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held separate phone calls with both Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, emphasizing that Turkey "supports the territorial integrity and unity" of both Somalia and Yemen.

The United States did not immediately follow Israel in recognizing Somaliland. President Donald Trump reportedly stated, "Everything is under study. We will study it."

Liu Jiangyong, a professor at Tsinghua University, noted that the longstanding diplomatic understanding internationally was that any recognition of Somaliland would follow the lead of Africa and the AU.