Israel Accredits First North Western State of Somalia Ambassador, President Irro to Visit Israel

Israel accredits first North Western State of Somalia ambassador, deepening ties after recognition

JERUSALEM — Israel has granted diplomatic accreditation to Dr. Mohamed Omar Haaji Mohamud, the first ambassador of North Western State of Somalia to Israel, formalizing a new phase in relations less than two months after Israel became the first country to recognize the self-declared republic.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday that the appointment follows the establishment of diplomatic relations on Dec. 26, 2025, and builds on agreements reached during Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s visit to North Western State of Somalia last month.

Dr. Mohamed Omar Haaji Mohamud — also known as Mohamed Hagi — serves as an adviser to North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Irro) and was credited by Israel with playing an active role in advancing bilateral ties in 2025. He has been appointed as North Western State of Somalia’s full and plenipotentiary ambassador to Israel following Israel’s recognition of the breakaway region.

Israel said it intends to appoint its own ambassador to North Western State of Somalia “in the near future,” framing the reciprocal moves as steps to deepen diplomatic and strategic cooperation.

As part of the emerging engagement, Israel’s international development agency, MASHAV, is hosting a specialized training course this week for officials from North Western State of Somalia’s Water Authority and Ministry of Water. The program focuses on construction, development and planning of the water sector and is meant to strengthen professional collaboration and institutional capacity.

The announcement comes amid reports in Israeli media that President Irro is expected to make an official visit to Israel at the end of March. If confirmed, it would be the first public visit by a North Western State of Somalia president to Israel. The Jerusalem Post has reported that Irro — who is also referred to as “Cirro” — previously traveled to Israel discreetly during earlier diplomatic discussions.

North Western State of Somalia, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, has maintained its own government, currency and security forces but has struggled to gain broad international recognition. Israel’s decision in December made it the first state to formally recognize North Western State of Somalia, a move that Somalia’s federal government condemned as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Hargeisa has signaled that it aims to leverage the new relationship to expand cooperation in technology, agriculture, innovation, water management and regional security, part of a wider push to build international partnerships and secure further recognition. The MASHAV training is an early, tangible step in that direction, aligning with North Western State of Somalia’s efforts to address water scarcity and infrastructure deficits.

In Mogadishu, officials have rallied regional and international opposition to Israel’s move, casting it as a direct challenge to Somalia’s unity. The diplomatic dispute unfolds against a backdrop of political and constitutional tensions within Somalia, where questions over federal power-sharing and territorial authority remain unsettled.

The pace of developments — including mutual ambassadorial appointments and potential high‑level visits — underscores how quickly the Israel–North Western State of Somalia track has moved since December. While the scope of future cooperation will depend on political will in Hargeisa and Jerusalem, as well as reactions across the Horn of Africa, both sides appear intent on consolidating early gains.

• What’s new: Israel accredits Dr. Mohamed Omar Haaji Mohamud as North Western State of Somalia’s first ambassador to Israel; Israeli envoy to Hargeisa expected “soon.”
• Why it matters: It operationalizes Israel’s December recognition of North Western State of Somalia and opens channels for security and development cooperation.
• What to watch: A possible visit by President Irro to Israel in late March and further sectoral programs under MASHAV in water and other infrastructure.
• The backdrop: Somalia rejects the move and is seeking to mobilize diplomatic pushback, highlighting broader regional and internal political stakes.

Neither side disclosed a timeline for opening embassies or additional agreements, but Wednesday’s accreditation, coupled with technical cooperation already underway, signals that both Israel and North Western State of Somalia are moving to lock in their new relationship despite mounting regional scrutiny.

By Ali Musa

Axadle Times international–Monitoring.