Israel rolled out the red carpet for Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro during a historic state visit, as Israeli officials revealed that the two sides had held a previously undisclosed meeting in Jerusalem months before Israel became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland.
JERUSALEM — Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro received a red-carpet welcome in Israel on Sunday as the two governments celebrated a rapidly expanding relationship that has transformed diplomatic ties between Jerusalem and Hargeisa.
The historic visit included meetings with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials, while also revealing previously unknown diplomatic contacts that helped lay the foundation for the relationship.
During talks at Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Sa’ar disclosed that he and President Irro had held a confidential meeting in Jerusalem in October 2025, months before Israel formally recognized Somaliland.
“This is our second meeting in this room,” Sa’ar said as he welcomed the Somaliland leader. “We met here discreetly last October, but the media didn’t know at the time. So we’re revealing that now.”
The revelation offered a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scenes diplomacy that preceded Israel’s decision to become the first country in the world to formally recognize Somaliland.
Sa’ar said the relationship had faced opposition but insisted both governments remained committed to strengthening their partnership.
“There are indeed challenges in building the relationship,” he said. “Unfortunately, there are many trying to undermine it. They will not be successful.”
“No one will decide for Israel — and no one will decide for Somaliland — who we conduct diplomatic relations with.”
The Somaliland president’s visit was marked by full diplomatic honors, underscoring the significance Israel attaches to the relationship.
Upon arriving in Jerusalem, President Irro met with President Isaac Herzog at the Presidential Residence, where he thanked Israel for becoming the first nation to formally recognize Somaliland.
“For 35 years, the people of Somaliland have built a peaceful, democratic and resilient nation,” Irro said.
“We asked the world: Do you see us? Israel answered first.”
The Somaliland leader described the visit as a turning point in relations between the two countries.
“Today, history is being written, and Somaliland stands ready to forge a shared future founded on friendship, cooperation and mutual respect.”
Herzog characterized the visit as a milestone for both nations and emphasized the opportunities created by the growing partnership.
“This historic visit symbolizes the great potential for new cooperation between our two countries,” the Israeli president said.
“Our task is now to move from declarations to action with people-to-people collaboration in a range of fields between our two wonderful nations.”
The visit also carried significant symbolic importance.
President Irro toured several of Israel’s most important national sites, including Mount Herzl, Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center and the Groves of Nations.
At Mount Herzl, Israel’s national cemetery, he participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the grave of Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern political Zionism.
The Somaliland delegation later visited Yad Vashem, where officials briefed the president on the Holocaust and the historical events that led to one of the twentieth century’s greatest atrocities.
According to a statement from Somaliland’s presidency, the visit focused on preserving historical memory and educating future generations about the dangers of hatred, discrimination and genocide.
At the Groves of Nations, President Irro planted a commemorative tree symbolizing friendship between Somaliland and Israel.
Reflecting on the experience, the Somaliland leader highlighted the importance of moral leadership during times of crisis.
“The stories here remind us that even during humanity’s most difficult moments, there are those who choose moral courage over fear,” he said.
The visit comes months after Israel formally recognized Somaliland, a move that dramatically altered the diplomatic landscape in the Horn of Africa.
Somaliland has maintained self-governance, its own institutions, security forces, currency and democratic political system since declaring the restoration of its sovereignty in 1991, but has long sought broader international recognition.
Israel’s recognition in late 2025 marked a breakthrough after decades of diplomatic efforts by Somaliland authorities.
The move generated international debate and criticism from Somalia, which continues to claim Somaliland as part of its territory.
However, Israeli officials have defended the decision as a sovereign act of foreign policy.
During the meetings in Jerusalem, Sa’ar welcomed Somaliland’s decision to establish an embassy in Jerusalem and confirmed that Israel would reciprocate by opening its own embassy in Hargeisa.
The Somaliland embassy is expected to become the eighth foreign diplomatic mission operating from Jerusalem, joining a small group of countries that maintain embassies in the city.
The diplomatic developments have been accompanied by discussions on trade, investment, technology, agriculture, water management, infrastructure and security cooperation.
Officials from both governments say the goal is to transform political goodwill into practical partnerships capable of delivering economic and strategic benefits for both nations.
Analysts view the visit as one of the most significant diplomatic milestones in Somaliland’s modern history and a major step in Israel’s efforts to expand partnerships in the Horn of Africa.
For Somaliland, the visit offered an opportunity to strengthen international engagement and showcase its democratic credentials and strategic importance along the Red Sea corridor.
For Israel, it reinforced a growing relationship with a partner positioned along one of the world’s most important maritime routes and at the crossroads of Africa and the Middle East.
As President Irro concluded a series of meetings in Jerusalem, officials from both sides expressed confidence that the historic visit would serve as the foundation for deeper diplomatic, economic and security cooperation in the years ahead.
The disclosure of the previously secret October meeting underscored how far the relationship has progressed—from quiet diplomacy conducted behind closed doors to a public strategic partnership celebrated at the highest levels of government.
