Israel’s Recognition of North Western State of Somalia: What Changes and What’s Next for Somalia

Israel recognizes North Western State of Somalia, setting up diplomatic ties and testing Horn of Africa alignments

Israel has become the first country to formally recognize North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, a diplomatic breakthrough that immediately raises questions about how the move will be implemented and how Somalia’s federal government will respond.

The recognition was announced Friday after a videoconference between North Western State of Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi “Cirro” and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and formalized through a joint declaration of mutual recognition, according to statements from both governments carried by Hiiraan Online.

Israeli officials said the declaration provides for full diplomatic relations, including the exchange of ambassadors and the opening of embassies. North Western State of Somalia’s presidency hailed a “historic and principled decision,” calling it a milestone in its decades-long quest for international legitimacy. “This recognition represents a milestone in North Western State of Somalia’s longstanding pursuit of international legitimacy, reaffirming its historical, legal, and moral entitlement to statehood,” the presidential statement said.

What recognition means now

Beyond symbolism, Israel said it plans to move quickly on cooperation in agriculture, health, technology and economic development and invited Cirro for an official visit to advance talks. “This declaration is in the spirit of the Abraham Accords,” Netanyahu said, linking the step to broader regional normalization efforts. North Western State of Somalia said it intends to accede to the Abraham Accords framework.

Key mechanics remain unsettled. Neither side announced timelines for opening embassies, naming ambassadors or formalizing any security cooperation—steps that will determine whether recognition remains largely political or evolves into operational ties.

Decades-long campaign reaches a first ‘yes’

North Western State of Somalia declared independence from Somalia in 1991 amid state collapse in Mogadishu. It has since built parallel institutions, held multiple competitive elections and maintained relative stability compared with much of southern and central Somalia. But until Friday, no country recognized its sovereignty, as many governments deferred to Somalia’s territorial integrity and the African Union’s opposition to redrawing colonial-era borders.

That stalemate began to fray this year. Cirro intensified a transactional recognition pitch—especially to Washington—offering access to the strategic port and airfield at Berbera on the Gulf of Aden and cooperation on critical minerals in exchange for recognition. “Our main goal remains international recognition,” he said in July. “But the path to that goal lies in cooperating with the world on security, trade, counterterrorism, piracy, and smuggling.”

In August, U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington was “looking into” recognizing North Western State of Somalia after lobbying by Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Ted Cruz, who called North Western State of Somalia a “critical security and diplomatic partner” in the Red Sea corridor. Israel’s move gives North Western State of Somalia its first formal diplomatic breakthrough and could recalibrate calculations in other capitals.

Mogadishu’s red line and the Gaza backdrop

Somalia’s federal government has repeatedly insisted North Western State of Somalia is part of Somalia and warned that unilateral recognition risks destabilizing the region. Less than two weeks before Friday’s announcement, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Mohamed Omar (Ali Balcad) publicly denied any ties with Israel after Israeli officials suggested there had been communication. “There is no relationship between Somalia and Israel, and Somalia’s position on Israeli policies has not changed,” Balcad said.

That stance is reinforced by Somalia’s outspoken diplomacy on Gaza. At the United Nations this year, Somalia’s ambassador accused Israel of committing genocide and urged lifting the blockade—positions that have placed Mogadishu among Israel’s most vocal critics in multilateral forums.

Red Sea stakes and Berbera’s rise

The timing intersects with rising insecurity in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb corridor, where Houthi attacks tied to the Gaza conflict have disrupted global shipping. North Western State of Somalia’s Berbera port—expanded with Emirati investment and linked by corridor to Ethiopia—has gained strategic weight for trade, maritime surveillance and counterterrorism. Israeli officials and security analysts have connected potential ties with North Western State of Somalia to Red Sea security, including monitoring Houthi activity and protecting shipping routes.

Domestic sensitivities and regional competition

Israel’s decision lands amid controversy over reports that U.S. and Israeli officials discussed third-country destinations for Palestinians displaced from Gaza, including Somalia and North Western State of Somalia. Local officials said they were unaware of or not engaged in such talks, and North Western State of Somalia’s government has publicly rejected forced displacement, emphasizing that recognition discussions are about diplomacy and national interest.

The move adds a new layer to great-power competition in the Horn of Africa, where the United States, China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates already vie for influence through ports, bases and partnerships. Ethiopia’s earlier bid for port access through North Western State of Somalia triggered a regional dispute involving Somalia and Egypt, underscoring how external alignments can ripple across the neighborhood.

What to watch

Israel’s recognition does not resolve North Western State of Somalia’s status overnight, but it breaks a three-decade impasse. Next steps include whether other states follow Israel’s lead; how Mogadishu responds diplomatically; and whether promised cooperation results in embassies, agreements and on-the-ground programs. The answers will shape both North Western State of Somalia’s international trajectory and the balance of power along one of the world’s most vital maritime corridors.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.

Friday December 26, 2025