Israel has become the first country to recognise Somaliland as a sovereign state. The Israeli foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, announced on Friday that Israel and Somaliland signed an agreement for full diplomatic relations. This includes opening embassies and appointing ambassadors. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but had not received recognition from any UN member nation until now. The region controls Somalia's north-west tip and borders Djibouti and Ethiopia. Israel’s prime minister’s office said this move is “in the spirit” of the Abraham accords signed in 2020, which normalised relations with several Arab states. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi over video call, calling the friendship “historic.” Abdullahi said he would be “glad to be in Jerusalem as soon as possible.” Egypt and Turkey condemned Israel’s recognition, calling it “overt interference in Somalia’s domestic affairs” and linked it to Israel's expansionist policy against Palestinian state recognition. Sa’ar said the recognition followed a year of talks and that Israel will “institutionalise ties between the two countries.” Analysts note Somaliland’s location near Yemen could benefit Israel strategically. An Israeli think tank highlighted that Somaliland could serve as a base for intelligence and operations related to the Houthis in Yemen. Somaliland already hosts a UAE military base in Berbera, used in operations against the Houthis. The US military has also shown interest, with recent and planned visits by officials. President Abdullahi told the Guardian, “It’s a matter of time. Not if, but when and who will lead the recognition of Somaliland.” In the US, debates continue over recognising Somaliland, balancing support against risks to cooperation with Somalia. Somaliland has over 6.2 million people and a democratic system with peaceful power changes, though recent years have seen some political repression, says Freedom House.