Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar visited Somaliland on Tuesday, two sources told Reuters, 10 days after Israel formally recognized the separatist Somali region as an independent state.
One of the sources, a senior Somaliland official, said Saar would meet Somaliland leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi to discuss ways to enhance bilateral ties. The second source confirmed the Israeli minister's presence in Somaliland.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Saar was in Somaliland.
Israel formally recognized Somaliland as a sovereign state on Dec. 27, a move that drew criticism from Somalia and the international community. Mogadishu has long opposed Somaliland's efforts to secede. No other country has formally recognised Somaliland.
At the time, Abdullahi said Somaliland would join the Abraham Accords, a deal brokered by the Trump administration in 2020 that saw Gulf states, the United Arab Emirates – a close partner of Somaliland – and Bahrain establish ties with Israel.
