In an exclusive interview, former Somaliland diplomat defends Hargeisa’s recognition by Israel, reflects on six years of ties with Taiwan, and outlines the geopolitical stakes in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa
TAIPEI — When Somaliland formalized diplomat relations with Israel on Dec. 26, 2025, the move reverberated across the Horn of Africa and beyond. For Liban Yusuf Osman, the former deputy foreign minister who helped engineer Somaliland’s breakthrough ties with Taiwan six years earlier, the Israel decision represents continuity — not rupture — in Hargeisa’s foreign policy.
“The relationship with Taiwan was a diplomatic trial by fire,” Osman said in an interview with bne IntelliNews. “It strengthened Somaliland for the next stage of its international engagement.”
Osman, who as deputy foreign minister signed a landmark health cooperation agreement with Taiwan, argues that Somaliland’s outreach to Israel reflects a consistent strategy: pursue partnerships based on “sovereignty, consistency, and strategic independence,” even under pressure from more powerful actors.
A pattern of unconventional diplomacy
Somaliland, a republic that restored its sovereignty in 1991 but lacks widespread international recognition, has increasingly sought ties with governments that operate outside conventional diplomatic frameworks.
In 2020, it signed a bilateral protocol with Taiwan — formally known as the Republic of China — establishing representative offices in Hargeisa and Taipei. The move drew swift opposition from Beijing and from Somalia’s federal government in Mogadishu.
Despite what Osman described as “diplomatic pressure, regional resistance led by Somalia, and even attempts at economic persuasion and ‘dollar diplomacy,’” Somaliland held firm.
“It defended its sovereign right to choose its partners and refused to abandon its agreement with Taiwan,” he said. “That experience was not just symbolic — it was formative.”
The December recognition by Israel, Osman said, builds on earlier historical contacts dating back to 1960, when Israel recognized Somaliland during its brief initial independence before union with Somalia. Following months of diplomatic exchanges under President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Irro), Israel formalized recognition late last year.
Balancing opportunity and risk
Osman characterizes the Israel relationship as “complex” within the geopolitics of the Horn of Africa.
“On one hand, it could bring strategic advantages, recognition, and new partnerships,” he said. “On the other hand, it might heighten tensions with certain neighbours or regional blocs.”
Somalia has condemned the move, framing it as a violation of its sovereignty. Regional powers including Turkey, Egypt and Djibouti are closely watching shifts in Red Sea alignments, where trade routes and security partnerships carry global significance.
Yet Osman insists the calculus in Hargeisa is rooted in pragmatism, not ideology.
“Somaliland’s parallel ties with Taiwan and Israel reflect strategic pragmatism, not ideology,” he said. “All three operate under different forms of diplomatic pressure, yet prioritise innovation, security, and high-functioning bilateral partnerships over waiting for universal recognition.”
He distilled the logic succinctly: “The synergy is simple: resilience + technology + strategic location.”
The Bab al-Mandeb factor
Geography is central to Somaliland’s diplomatic pitch. Situated along the Gulf of Aden near the Bab al-Mandeb strait — a chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean — the territory occupies a strategic perch in global maritime trade.
Osman rejects the notion that ties with Israel risk destabilizing the corridor.
“The developing relationship between Somaliland and Israel should not be viewed as a destabilising factor,” he said. “On the contrary, it represents a stabilising and security-enhancing partnership for one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints.”
A “constructive partnership,” he argued, could bolster maritime security in a region where piracy, regional rivalries and great-power competition intersect.
Lessons from Taiwan
Much of Osman’s confidence stems from what he describes as tangible gains from the Taiwan relationship, particularly in health and technology.
Since 2020, he said, cooperation has expanded across ICT, agriculture, energy and mineral mapping. The most visible impact, he argues, is in healthcare: Taiwan is supporting construction of a medical facility valued at approximately $23 million and implementing a Health Information System to modernize patient data management and public health forecasting.
“I had the honour of signing the health cooperation agreement,” Osman said. “Since then, the impact has been profound.”
Taiwan’s support during Somaliland’s elections and the COVID-19 pandemic, he added, demonstrated that the partnership is “not transactional — it is foundational, and it is unshakable.”
That experience, he believes, prepared Somaliland’s foreign service for the backlash accompanying Israel recognition.
“Having already navigated international backlash and regional pushback once, Somaliland is now more experienced, more confident, and more prepared to manage external reactions,” he said.
Managing regional anxieties
Osman acknowledges that Israel ties require careful diplomatic handling. He advises that Somaliland should emphasize its neutrality and reassure Arab League and Gulf Cooperation Council states that its relationship with Israel “is strategic and not directed against any other nation.”
“Somaliland should also avoid symbolic actions that exacerbate tensions,” he said, urging a focus on trade, security and stability.
The broader message, he suggested, is one of self-definition in a polarized world.
“In a world of sharpening geopolitical rivalries,” Osman said, Somaliland aims to demonstrate that “principled, mutually beneficial diplomacy can withstand external pressure and still deliver tangible results.”
For Israel, he added, the lesson from Taiwan is clear: “Somaliland honours its agreements and stands firm in its diplomatic choices. Partnerships based on sincerity and mutual benefit can endure political noise and regional rhetoric.”
Whether the strategy yields broader recognition remains uncertain. But in Hargeisa’s calculus, Osman made clear, waiting for universal acceptance is no longer the guiding principle.
“External pressures do not define the outcome,” he said. “Commitment and mutual benefit do.”
