Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today hosted the President of the Republic of Somaliland, H.E. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Cirro), at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem for a high-level bilateral meeting.

The two leaders first held a private one-on-one discussion before being joined by senior officials from both sides for an expanded meeting focused on strengthening relations and advancing cooperation between Somaliland and Israel.

The Israeli delegation included the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Chief of Staff, the Government Secretary, the Military Secretary, Israel’s Ambassador to Somaliland, and other senior government officials.

The Somaliland delegation included the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Defense, the Minister of the Presidency, the Minister of Water Development, the President’s Chief of Staff, the Chief of the General Staff of the Somaliland Armed Forces, the Somaliland Ambassador to Israel, and other senior officials.

Joint Declaration Signed

At the conclusion of the meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Cirro signed a Joint Declaration aimed at strengthening cooperation and partnership between the Republic of Somaliland and the State of Israel.

The leaders subsequently delivered statements reaffirming their commitment to expanding diplomatic, economic, security, and strategic relations between the two countries.

Netanyahu Welcomes Somaliland Recognition

Addressing President Cirro, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highlighted the significance of Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland and emphasized the shared values that unite the two nations.

"We are proud, and I am proud that my government is the first government on the planet to recognize Somaliland. We are united by the same belief that freedom, democracy and opportunity are stronger than extremism, terrorism and chaos.”

Strengthening a Growing Partnership

The meeting marked another significant milestone in the evolving relationship between Somaliland and Israel. The signing of the Joint Declaration reflects the commitment of both governments to deepen cooperation, strengthen diplomatic ties, and pursue shared goals based on mutual respect, democracy, stability, and regional development.

The visit is widely regarded as a historic step in advancing Somaliland–Israel relations and opening a new chapter of strategic engagement between the two nations.