Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Israel on Friday became the first U.N. member state to formally recognize the Republic of Somaliland's independence three decades after its creation in the Horn of Africa.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed a joint declaration while accompanied by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi on the phone.
"Our friendship is seminal and historic," Netanyahu told Abdullahi. "I'm very, very happy and proud of this day."
He wished Abdullahi and the people of Somaliland the "very, very best" and called the moment a "great opportunity to expand our partnership."
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