Breakaway Somalia Region’s President Makes First Israel Visit

The president of Somaliland is making his first visit to Israel, following the Jewish state’s recognition of the breakaway region of Somalia.

The African leader will appear in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, later today, Israel’s government said in a statement on Sunday.

Israel in December became the first established country to recognize Somaliland, giving it a new partner on the strategic Red Sea gateway.

“For thirty-five years, the people of Somaliland have built a peaceful, democratic, and resilient nation,” President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi said in a post on X today. “We asked the world: Do you see us? Israel answered first.”

The move, which drew criticism from Somalia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, handed Israel its first diplomatic presence across from Yemen, where Houthi rebels have been carrying out attacks against it and disrupting trade for years.

“We both face the threat of radical extremism. We both seek security and stability in the region and in the Horn of Africa,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in a separate statement after meeting with the African leader. “We both see the importance of protecting maritime freedom.”

Read: Israel Plans New Foothold on the Red Sea to Fight the Houthis