Taiwan backs Israel’s historic recognition of Somaliland, calling all three “like-minded democratic partners,” as mass celebrations erupt across Hargeisa and global opposition mounts.
Hargeisa, Somaliland – As crowds filled stadiums and city squares across Somaliland for a third consecutive day, waving red-white-green flags and chanting messages of gratitude toward Israel, a new diplomatic alignment quietly took shape thousands of miles away in East Asia.
Taiwan on Sunday formally welcomed Israel’s decision to recognize the Republic of Somaliland as a sovereign state, aligning itself with Jerusalem’s historic move even as the the European Union, and much of the Arab and Muslim world reaffirmed support for Somalia’s territorial integrity.
In a statement issued by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Taipei described Taiwan, Israel, and Somaliland as “like-minded democratic partners sharing the values of democracy, freedom, and rule of law,” and expressed hope that Israel’s recognition would catalyze deeper three-way cooperation across diplomacy, security, and development.
The response underscored Taiwan’s growing identification with unrecognized or diplomatically constrained polities that emphasize democratic governance and de facto statehood, a category into which Somaliland has long fallen.
A Diplomatic Break with the West
Israel’s recognition on Friday marked the first time any country formally acknowledged Somaliland’s sovereignty since it restored its independence from Somalia in 1991. The move immediately triggered condemnation from Somalia and a bloc of regional and Muslim-majority states, as well as expressions of concern from the European Union.
Yet Taiwan’s reaction stood out for its clarity.
“Taiwan’s support reflects its own lived experience in navigating international isolation while building institutions, legitimacy, and partnerships,” said a senior diplomatic source familiar with Taipei’s Africa policy.
Taiwan and Somaliland have cultivated ties since 2020, when Taipei opened a representative office in Hargeisa, followed weeks later by Somaliland’s establishment of a reciprocal office in Taipei. Since then, cooperation has expanded across medicine, education, agriculture, telecommunications, security, and energy and mineral development, according to MOFA.
Most recently, the two sides signed a July agreement to enhance coast guard cooperation, aimed at safeguarding navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden—one of the world’s most strategically sensitive maritime corridors.
Israel’s Calculated Recognition
Israel’s recognition followed the signing of a joint declaration by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and Somaliland President Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Irro).
“This declaration is in the spirit of the Abraham Accords, signed at the initiative of President Trump,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
Netanyahu congratulated President Irro, praising his leadership and commitment to stability, and invited him to make an official visit to Israel. Somaliland’s president, in turn, thanked Netanyahu for what he called a historic decision and expressed appreciation for Israel’s role in counterterrorism and regional peace efforts.
“The State of Israel plans to immediately expand its relations with the Republic of Somaliland through extensive cooperation in the fields of agriculture, health, technology, and economy,” the statement added, while also acknowledging the role of the Mossad and its director, David Barnea, in advancing the diplomatic breakthrough.
Regional and International Pushback
The recognition provoked swift backlash.
Somalia requested an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council, which it presides over in January, arguing that Israel’s move violated international law and threatened regional stability. Foreign ministers from Egypt, Djibouti, Turkey, and Somalia issued protests reaffirming Somalia’s unity and territorial integrity.
The European Union echoed those concerns, stating that respect for Somalia’s sovereignty remains “key for peace and stability” in the Horn of Africa.
A broader joint statement issued by foreign ministers from Jordan, Egypt, Algeria, Djibouti, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation described Israel’s recognition as an “unprecedented measure” with “serious repercussions on peace and security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.”
In total, at least 21 countries—including Nigeria, Kuwait, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, and Pakistan—have formally condemned the decision.
Yet diplomatic sources say Somalia failed to secure unified backing even within its immediate neighborhood. Kenya and Ethiopia—two of the Horn’s most influential states and strategic partners of Israel—declined to issue formal condemnations, opting instead for what one source described as “strategic ambiguity.”
Somaliland’s Case for Statehood
For Somaliland’s leaders and supporters, Israel’s recognition is less a rupture than an acknowledgment of reality.
“Somaliland isn’t a theory or a headline,” said Bashe Omar, former Somaliland ambassador to Kenya and the United Arab Emirates. “It has existed in practice for 34 years, built by its people through peace, consent, and institutions. Israel’s recognition didn’t create Somaliland. It acknowledged what already exists.”
Since reclaiming independence in 1991, Somaliland has maintained relative peace in a volatile region, conducted multiple competitive presidential elections, established its own currency and security forces, and exercised effective control over its territory.
Dr. Mohamed Hagi, the Somaliland president’s lead advisor on foreign affairs and a former ambassador to Taiwan, argued that recognition is entering “an irreversible phase.”
“The recognition of the Republic of Somaliland is grounded in empirically observable realities,” he wrote, citing domestic legitimacy, democratic governance, state capacity, and long-term stability. He added that Somaliland’s strategic maritime position, resource potential, and alignment with emerging security interests make recognition a “pragmatic and stabilizing outcome” for regional and global actors.
Streets Filled with Celebration
Nowhere was that sentiment more visible than in Hargeisa, where tens of thousands gathered at Hargeisa Stadium, chanting, “Thank you Israel—you are our ally; we will never forget.”
For many, the moment carried historical resonance. Israel had recognized Somaliland briefly in 1960, when the territory gained independence from Britain before voluntarily uniting with Italian Somalia—a union that never been ratified legally and later collapsed amid civil war.
The renewed recognition was widely seen as a validation of Somaliland’s long-standing claim to sovereignty.
“This is not merely a diplomatic milestone,” read one widely shared statement during the celebrations. “It is the validation of a people who chose reconciliation over conflict and institution-building over instability.”
As Taiwan’s endorsement joins Israel’s recognition, Somaliland’s leaders believe the international narrative may be shifting—slowly, unevenly, but decisively.
