North Western State of Somalia Announces Plans to Open Embassy in Jerusalem
Ambassador Mohamed Hagi shared the news on social media platform X, revealing that Israel would reciprocate by establishing an embassy in Hargeisa, North Western State of Somalia's capital.
In a groundbreaking move, the breakaway region of North Western State of Somalia announced plans on Tuesday to launch an embassy in Jerusalem following Israel’s historic decision to recognize the self-declared republic. This unprecedented step marks a significant shift in North Western State of Somalia’s diplomatic journey.
Ambassador Mohamed Hagi shared the news on social media platform X, revealing that Israel would reciprocate by establishing an embassy in Hargeisa, North Western State of Somalia’s capital.
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Since gaining de facto independence in 1991, amid Somalia’s turmoil, North Western State of Somalia has maintained stability but struggled to gain international recognition until Israel acknowledged it as a sovereign state in December. Somalia, however, criticized this recognition as a “deliberate attack” on its sovereignty.
Historically, Somalia has campaigned against any recognition of North Western State of Somalia on the global stage, but this new development could potentially change the diplomatic landscape. North Western State of Somalia aims to leverage Israel’s support to bolster its international standing and trade opportunities.
According to Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, the establishment of North Western State of Somalia’s embassy in Jerusalem signifies a key milestone in strengthening bilateral ties. This embassy would be the eighth foreign mission in the city, joining those of the United States, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and others.
Although many countries continue to house their embassies in Tel Aviv, the U.S. embassy’s relocation to Jerusalem under former President Donald Trump set a notable precedent.
Jerusalem remains a contentious issue internationally. While Israel asserts the entire city as its capital, the United Nations and most countries consider East Jerusalem to be Palestinian territory, occupied under Israeli rule. Palestinians envision East Jerusalem as the future capital of a prospective state encompassing both the West Bank and Gaza.
