{"id":805354,"date":"2026-05-18T15:33:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T15:33:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/805354\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T15:33:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T15:33:19","slug":"somalilands-first-ambassador-in-countrys-history-presents-credentials-to-herzog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/805354\/","title":{"rendered":"Somaliland’s first ambassador in country’s history presents credentials to Herzog"},"content":{"rendered":"

Somaliland\u2019s first-ever ambassador to a foreign country presented his diplomatic credentials to President Isaac Herzog on Monday.<\/p>\n

Dr. Mohamed Hagi, appointed in February, has been serving as adviser to Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, and was an architect of Israel-Somaliland relations.<\/p>\n

Israel in December became the only country in the world to recognize Somaliland\u2019s independence \u2014 something the territory has been seeking since declaring its autonomy from Somalia in 1991.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have built a great relationship,\u201d Hagi said, according to the President\u2019s Residence, \u201cwhich is a strategic one that will pave the way forward on many things in all domains, whether that is development, political cooperation, security cooperation, and, of course, the people-to-people relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hagi said that Somaliland\u2019s people \u201cvery much appreciate that Israel became the first country to recognize Somaliland in 1960, and again, after 35 years of independence and sovereignty, Israel again became the first country that recognized Somaliland.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cOur relationship is unique because it\u2019s not just about two governments, it\u2019s about the people of Israel and the people of Somaliland,\u201d he continued. \u201cIn Somaliland, you can see lots of Israeli flags and people waving them in the streets and in rural areas as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tPresident Isaac Herzog (center right) with Somaliland\u2019s first ambassador to Israel, Dr. Mohamed Hagi, during a ceremony at the President\u2019s Residence in Jerusalem, May 18, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel\/Flash90)<\/p>\n

\u201cI was delighted to receive the first-ever Ambassador of Somaliland to Israel, Mohamed Hagi, who presented his diplomatic credentials this morning,\u201d Herzog wrote on X on Monday.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmbassador Hagi was kind enough to praise our orchestra, who played the national anthem of Somaliland for the first time ever in Israel. This important new partnership between our nations will bring a shared future of cooperation in a range of fields to the benefit of both our peoples and the entire region,\u201d the president\u2019s post read.<\/p>\n

The new ambassadors of the Vatican, Australia, Korea and Vietnam are also presenting their credentials Monday at the President\u2019s Residence.<\/p>\n

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa\u2019ar hosted Hagi after he presented his credentials to Herzog.<\/p>\n

He said that he congratulated Hagi on Somaliland\u2019s Independence Day on Monday.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll continue building the relationship with Somaliland!\u201d Sa\u2019ar wrote on X.<\/p>\n

\n

Another meaningful day on the path we\u2019re paving together.<\/p>\n

Glad to host at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem Somaliland\u2019s first Ambassador to Israel, Dr. Mohamed Hagi @AmbMohamedHagi<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I congratulated him on presenting his credentials to the President of the State of Israel and\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/8YRb6ZOcjt<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Gideon Sa’ar | \u05d2\u05d3\u05e2\u05d5\u05df \u05e1\u05e2\u05e8 (@gidonsaar) May 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Last month, Israel appointed<\/a> its first ambassador to Somaliland, Michael Lotem, while Sa\u2019ar visited<\/a> Somaliland in January this year.\n<\/p>\n

Sa\u2019ar also met with Hagi, hailing \u201canother meaningful day on the path we\u2019re paving together.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Israel\u2019s recognition of the breakaway state sparked criticism from Somalia, which has long opposed Somaliland\u2019s bid to secede, as well as from the African Union and the Arab League, which both said it \u201cundermines\u201d the territorial integrity of Somalia. The EU also criticized the move, and the United States said that it continued to recognize the territorial integrity of Somalia, \u201cwhich includes the territory of Somaliland.\u201d<\/p>\n

Located in the Horn of Africa, Somaliland enjoys a strategic position across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen, where the Houthis hold territory, making it strategically valuable for Israel.<\/p>\n

The Houthis, a terror group, 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.<\/p>\n

Regional analysts believe that relations with Somaliland would provide Israel with better access to the Red Sea, enabling it to hit Houthi rebels in Yemen.<\/p>\n

The breakaway state\u2019s government in January denied that it had agreed to accept Gazan refugees or allow Israel to establish military bases on its soil in exchange for Israeli recognition, after Somalia\u2019s presidency claimed that it had done so.<\/p>\n


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