Khaberni - On Tuesday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar met the president of the separatist region of Somaliland, 10 days after Tel Aviv officially recognized the region as a sovereign independent state, a move unprecedented globally.
However, Reuters reported that other countries are preparing to follow Israel’s lead and recognize Somaliland.
So which countries might recognize Somaliland?
American Interests
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz said on the X platform on Monday that recognizing Somaliland aligns with American security interests, describing it as an “ally that shares our values in a key region for global trade and counterterrorism.”
Landlocked Ethiopia
Landlocked Ethiopia has set its sights on Somaliland, announcing in 2024 a memorandum of understanding to lease an area around the Berbera port in exchange for Addis Ababa’s recognition of the region’s independence.
This agreement has ruffled feathers in Somalia, aligning the Mogadishu government closer with Egypt, which has been in a dispute with Ethiopia for years over a massive hydropower dam built by Addis Ababa on the Nile River, and also bringing it closer to Eritrea, Ethiopia’s long-time rival.
And in December 2024, Ethiopia agreed to work with Somalia to resolve the dispute, but now it is rumored that Addis Ababa is preparing to recognize Somaliland.
India and China Conflict
India has denied rumors that it is also preparing to recognize Somaliland.
However, some analysts say that India should recognize the independence of the region to counter Chinese economic influence in the Horn of Africa, especially in Djibouti, and also in Kenya and Tanzania.
Emirati Influence
The UAE, which normalized its relations with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords mediated by the United States, has cemented its influence in the region.
The United Arab Emirates operates the port of Berbera through Dubai-owned company “DP World,” along with Berbera airport and a free trade zone located between the port and the airport.
Why is Somaliland’s location considered strategic?
The Somaliland region occupies a strategic location at the junction of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, with the port of Berbera providing access to some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
During the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip, ships linked to Israel faced attacks by the Yemeni Houthi group in support of the Palestinians.
Analysts say that confronting this threat is part of Israel's move to recognize Somaliland, which could lead to a military cooperation agreement between the two parties.
And today, Tuesday, Channel 14 Israeli reported that the Somaliland region might allow Israel to use specific areas on its territory for military purposes, including establishing defense facilities.
Arab Concerns
These leaks align with concerns expressed by Arabs at an emergency meeting at the headquarters of the Arab League a week ago.
The statement from the emergency Arab meeting stated, “We reject any actions that arise from the illegitimate Israeli recognition of the so-called ‘Somaliland Region’ aimed at facilitating forced displacement schemes of the Palestinian people.”
The statement added that the illegitimate Israeli recognition of "Somaliland aims to exploit the ports of northern Somalia to establish military bases there."
However, the government of Somaliland denied any intention to allow Israel to establish military bases there or to resettle Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
