Somalia rejects Israeli ambassador, planned embassy
Mogadishu calls moves in Hargeisa a violation of sovereignty, demanding reversal.
Somalia's Foreign Ministry rejected Israel’s appointment of an ambassador to Somaliland and plans for an embassy in Hargeisa on Tuesday. The ministry stated these actions were taken without the Federal Government's consent and are therefore "null and void and without legal effect."
Michael Lotem, Israel’s first ambassador to Somaliland, presented his credentials to Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro in Hargeisa. A ceremony was also held to lay the cornerstone for a planned Israeli embassy. Somalia maintains Somaliland is part of its territory and lacks authority for independent diplomatic relations.
Israel formally recognised Somaliland on December 26, 2025, becoming the first UN member state to do so since the region declared independence in 1991. Somalia urged the international community not to recognise steps undermining its territorial integrity and warned of heightened tensions in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region.
Why it mattersSomalia's territorial integrity and its standing in the region are directly affected by Israel's recognition of Somaliland and establishment of diplomatic ties.