Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro said he received a congratulatory call from the Israeli prime minister on the 35th anniversary of Somaliland’s restored sovereignty, as both sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral ties
HARGEISA — President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi said Monday that he received a telephone call from the prime minister of Israel congratulating the people of Somaliland on the 35th anniversary of the restoration of Somaliland’s sovereignty.
According to Somaliland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the conversation focused on expanding bilateral relations and strengthening cooperation between Somaliland and Israel following the rapid development of ties between the two sides in recent months.
The phone call came as Somaliland marked May 18, the date commemorating its 1991 restoration of sovereignty following the collapse of its union with Somalia.
“The President of Israel has received the credentials letter from our ambassador,” Irro said during remarks addressing the nation.
“We spoke by phone with the prime minister of Israel, and he asked me to convey congratulations to the people of Somaliland on the occasion of 18 May.”
In a separate statement, the Somaliland president reiterated the significance of the conversation.
“Today, I had a telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of Israel, who requested that I convey his congratulations to the people of Somaliland on the occasion of the May 18th National Day,” Irro said.
Officials said the two leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening diplomatic engagement and expanding cooperation between the Republic of Somaliland and Israel.
The call comes amid rapidly deepening relations between the two sides following Israel’s recognition of Somaliland in December 2025, making Israel the first United Nations member state to formally recognize Somaliland since it restored its sovereignty more than three decades ago.
Earlier Monday, Somaliland’s first ambassador to Israel, Mohamed Hagi, formally presented his diplomatic credentials to Israeli President Isaac Herzog during a ceremony in Jerusalem.
The presentation of credentials marked the first time a Somaliland envoy had formally presented diplomatic papers to an Israeli head of state and was widely viewed as another milestone in the growing partnership between the two governments.
Israeli officials have increasingly described Somaliland as a strategic regional partner because of its location along the Gulf of Aden and near the Red Sea maritime corridor, an area of growing geopolitical significance amid regional instability and Houthi attacks on international shipping routes.
Somaliland officials have meanwhile portrayed the relationship as part of a broader international recognition effort and an opportunity to expand diplomatic, economic and security cooperation with international partners.
The May 18 anniversary celebrations across Somaliland were held under the theme “Recognition and Resilience,” with government leaders emphasizing Somaliland’s growing international engagement and diplomatic visibility.
Relations between Somaliland and Israel have accelerated significantly over the past year through high-level diplomatic visits, ambassadorial appointments and discussions on economic, technological and security cooperation.
Somaliland officials say they hope the expanding relationship with Israel will encourage broader international engagement with Somaliland’s long-standing quest for recognition and statehood.
