Somaliland president “not ruling out” Israeli port facility

Dubai (Somalia Today) — The president of Somaliland, Somalia’s northern breakaway region, said he has “not ruled out” granting Israel a port facility on the Gulf of Aden, potentially offering Tel Aviv a strategic foothold in the volatile Red Sea corridor.

Speaking to an Israeli newspaper on the sidelines of the World Government Summit in Dubai, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi presented his self-declared state as a vital partner for maritime security.

“Somaliland is rich in resources, and we welcome investments,” Abdullahi, a 70-year-old former diplomat popularly known as “Irro,” told the publication. “The territory is important for maritime trade, and therefore relations with Israel are also important.”

The overtures follow a seismic shift in the Horn of Africa on December 26, 2025, when Israel became the first UN member state to officially recognise Somaliland’s sovereignty.

The move shattered a 34-year international consensus and triggered a “diplomatic war” with the federal government of Somalia, which considers the territory its northern province.

Mogadishu has repeatedly condemned the decision as a violation of its sovereignty, warning that any military or security arrangements involving Somaliland would be viewed as a serious escalation.

‘The sky is the limit’

In a separate interview with Reuters this week, Abdullahi confirmed he had accepted an invitation from Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Israel, adding that he expects to finalise a formal trade partnership “soon.”

“The sky is the limit,” the president said, identifying lithium — a critical component for electric vehicle batteries — as a primary export for Israeli technology.

Officials in Hargeisa say the leadership is also seeking cooperation in renewable energy, water management, and agricultural technology as part of its broader economic outreach.

While Abdullahi said neither side has discussed establishing a formal military base, he suggested Somaliland’s 850-kilometre (530-mile) coastline could still play a pivotal role in countering regional threats.

Since late 2023, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have launched drone and missile attacks on Israel-linked vessels, disrupting roughly 12 percent of global trade.

The blockade has forced major carriers to divert around the Cape of Good Hope, driving up insurance and fuel costs. The disruptions have also renewed global concern over the security of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints.

Strategic anchor

The centerpiece of Somaliland’s strategic value is the port of Berbera. Located near the Bab al-Mandab chokepoint, the site is home to a 4.1-kilometre runway — one of Africa’s longest — which NASA originally built as an emergency landing strip for its Space Shuttle.

Dubai’s DP World and the British government currently manage the port as a multi-billion-dollar hub.

Officials are expanding the facility in phases as part of the wider Berbera Corridor project, designed to connect the port to Ethiopia and position it as a key regional trade gateway.

For Israel, access to Berbera would provide a critical monitoring post against Iranian naval activity.

However, the alignment between Hargeisa and Tel Aviv has infuriated regional heavyweights. Turkey, which maintains its largest overseas military training facility in Mogadishu, and Egypt have both condemned the recognition as a “provocation.”

Cairo and Ankara have recently deepened their own security cooperation with Somalia’s central government, viewing the Israeli-Somaliland axis as a threat to their influence in the Red Sea.

Regional diplomats say the competing security partnerships reflect a broader struggle for strategic access and influence along the increasingly militarised waterway.

Regional fragmentation

The situation is further complicated by the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

While the UAE has been Somaliland’s primary benefactor since 2017, Riyadh remains wary of Emirati-backed groups using Berbera as a logistics base for the conflict in neighbouring Yemen.

The African Union (AU) has also stood firm in its opposition. Following an emergency session on January 6, the AU Peace and Security Council reaffirmed its support for Somalia’s territorial integrity, warning that unilateral recognition risks the “militarised fragmentation” of the region.

Several regional governments have echoed those concerns, cautioning that competing foreign military footprints could deepen instability.

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following a bloody civil war, but has remained in diplomatic limbo for decades.

With Israel’s recognition and a separate, controversial sea-access deal signed with Ethiopia in early 2024, Hargeisa is betting that its strategic position can finally break its international isolation.

Analysts say the leadership is pursuing a strategy that leverages geography and security partnerships to convert its de facto autonomy into broader international legitimacy.