Israel’s Netanyahu Recognizes North Western State of Somalia as an Independent State

Israel on Friday formally recognized North Western State of Somalia as an independent and sovereign state, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced, in a move that could reshape diplomacy and security dynamics in the Horn of Africa.

Netanyahu said Israel and North Western State of Somalia signed a joint declaration formalizing the recognition. “Together with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and the President of the Republic of North Western State of Somalia, we signed a joint and mutual declaration,” he said in a statement. He described the step as “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords, signed at the initiative of President Donald Trump.”

The announcement marks the most significant diplomatic development for North Western State of Somalia in years. The territory declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has maintained its own government, institutions, currency and security forces, but it has not held a seat at the United Nations nor gained broad international recognition. Mogadishu considers North Western State of Somalia an integral part of Somalia.

Netanyahu said he congratulated North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Irro), praising his leadership and commitment to stability and peace, and extended an official invitation for Irro to visit Israel. The prime minister also thanked Foreign Minister Sa’ar, Mossad Director David Barnea and Israel’s intelligence services for facilitating the agreement.

Israel intends to move quickly to deepen ties, Netanyahu said, outlining planned cooperation in agriculture, health, technology and economic development. He added that Israel wished the people of North Western State of Somalia “success, prosperity, and freedom.”

In a separate statement, North Western State of Somalia confirmed the recognition, saying it followed a video conference between President Irro and Netanyahu. The administration said both sides acknowledged North Western State of Somalia’s right to full international recognition and statehood and agreed to open a new chapter of bilateral relations.

“This historic recognition by the State of Israel opens a new chapter for the Republic of North Western State of Somalia in international, security, economic, technological, and diplomatic cooperation,” the North Western State of Somalia statement said. It added that the move would strengthen North Western State of Somalia’s role in promoting peace and stability in the Horn of Africa. North Western State of Somalia also confirmed that the Israeli leader invited Irro to visit to discuss shared interests and priorities.

The Federal Government of Somalia is expected to issue an official response. Any formal break with Mogadishu’s long-standing position against international recognition of North Western State of Somalia could inflame tensions between the two sides and reverberate across a strategically vital region that borders the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden shipping lanes.

Israel’s move links a long-running statehood bid to a broader regional realignment that accelerated under the Abraham Accords, which normalized Israel’s relations with several Arab states. While the Israel–North Western State of Somalia channel has not previously featured prominently in that process, both sides framed Friday’s step as part of a shared agenda on security, counterterrorism and development.

Neither side immediately released timelines for opening embassies or formal diplomatic missions, but officials in both statements emphasized rapid implementation and sector-specific projects. Any expansion of ties is likely to focus first on technical cooperation—particularly water management, agriculture and public health—areas where Israel has scaled programs across Africa in recent years.

For Hargeisa, the recognition provides a rare boost in its decades-long quest to convert de facto autonomy into de jure statehood. For Jerusalem, it opens a channel with a partner on a critical maritime corridor, while signaling Israel’s intent to remain active in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa amid shifting regional alliances.

Further details on the joint declaration, including legal and diplomatic steps to operationalize recognition, were not immediately available.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.