Somaliland’s first-ever embassy anywhere will open in Jerusalem, envoy says

Diplomat from East African breakaway state says Israel will also open embassy in capital city of Hargeisa

The Republic of Somaliland will open an embassy in Jerusalem, its first anywhere in the world, the state’s ambassador to Israel said Tuesday.

“I am pleased to announce that the Republic of Somaliland’s Embassy will be located in Jerusalem — the Embassy will be opened soon, while Israel will also establish its Embassy in Hargeisa, reflecting growing friendship, mutual respect and strategic cooperation between our two peoples,” Somaliland’s Ambassador to Israel Mohamed Hagi wrote on X.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar hailed the “important decision” to open the embassy in “our eternal capital, Jerusalem,” calling it “another significant step in strengthening relations between our countries and nations.”

In December, Israel became the first country in the world to recognize Somaliland, which broke away from Somalia in 1991. Last month, Israel appointed its first ambassador to Somaliland, Michael Lotem, and Sa’ar visited the country in January this year.

Hagi was visiting Israel, as he is not yet residing in the country, and was received by President Isaac Herzog on Monday, which was also Somaliland’s Independence Day.

Somaliland has its own currency, passport, and army, but has struggled to win international recognition, amid concerns in many capitals that this would provoke Somalia and encourage other separatist movements in Africa. Israel’s recognition of the breakaway state drew international backlash.

Located in the Horn of Africa, Somaliland enjoys a strategic position across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen, where the Iran-backed Houthis hold territory, making it strategically valuable for Israel.

The terror group Houthis began attacking Israel and maritime traffic in November 2023, a month after the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, drawing Israeli airstrikes. They halted attacks after a ceasefire was reached in Gaza in October 2025.

Somaliland will be the eighth country to open an embassy in Jerusalem. Most nations’ embassies in Israel are in Tel Aviv, with countries arguing Jerusalem’s standing can only be decided as part of a final status agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, who claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state.

Israel took control of East Jerusalem – which includes the Old City and its holy sites – from Jordan during the 1967 Six Day War. Israel annexed the territory in 1980 and considers the entire city its capital.

On Sunday, the government approved a proposal to financially incentivize countries to move their embassies to Jerusalem. The framework, proposed by Sa’ar and Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Minister Yariv Levin, would use funding from both ministries to cover some of the expenses of establishing or relocating embassies to the capital.

Currently, seven countries have embassies in Jerusalem — the US, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, and Fiji. In December, Ecuador opened an innovation office with diplomatic status in Jerusalem.

Lazar Berman and Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.