Israel appoints first ambassador to Somalia’s breakaway region in controversial move

TEL AVIV – Israel on Wednesday named its first ambassador to North Western State of Somalia, the breakaway region of Somalia, in a move certain to deepen a long-running diplomatic dispute.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said Michael Lotem has been appointed as a non-resident ambassador to North Western State of Somalia.

According to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, Lotem has previously served as ambassador to Kenya, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan.

Israel announced mutual recognition with North Western State of Somalia in December 2025, a decision that drew sharp rejection from the Somali government and criticism from many countries around the world.

North Western State of Somalia, which has not won formal international recognition since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991, functions as a de facto independent administrative, political, and security entity. The central government in Mogadishu has been unable to extend control over the region, while North Western State of Somalia’s leaders have struggled to secure international recognition for their claim to statehood.

The Somali government continues to reject North Western State of Somalia’s independence, says it remains an inseparable part of Somalia, and regards any direct dealings with the territory as a breach of the country’s sovereignty and territorial unity.