Somaliland formally inaugurated its first embassy in Jerusalem on Monday evening, the opening of the breakaway East African state's first-ever diplomatic mission anywhere in the world. President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro met with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who hailed the growing ties between the two states.
Somaliland officially opened its first embassy in Jerusalem on Monday evening, marking the formal establishment of a diplomatic mission in Israel by the breakaway East African state.
President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro, who is on his first official visit to Israel, met with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar at the embassy opening. Sa'ar said the friendship between Israel and Somaliland extends beyond the government level and reflects a growing connection between the two peoples. Sa'ar also called the embassy the eighth operating in Jerusalem and hinted at more embassies to come, as reported by The Zioneer at 17:41 Jerusalem.
The embassy opening is the culmination of a diplomatic push that has unfolded over several days. As The Zioneer reported, Irro met earlier with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Monday, 16:15 Jerusalem), Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (Monday evening), President Isaac Herzog (Sunday), and laid a wreath at Theodor Herzl's grave (Sunday). Foreign Minister Sa'ar also disclosed a secret preparatory meeting in October with the previous Somaliland president, Muse Bihi Abdi, reported by The Zioneer on Monday at 14:01 Jerusalem.
This is the eighth embassy operating in Jerusalem, joining the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, and Fiji. The establishment of full diplomatic ties — Somaliland's first embassy anywhere — comes as Israel continues to deepen relations with states in the Horn of Africa, though formal recognition of Somaliland's sovereignty by Israel has not been announced.
6 developments
- StrongSomaliland president at Israel embassy opening: 'I bring the blessings of six million Muslims'
- DevelopingNetanyahu meets Somaliland president as diplomatic push continues
- DevelopingSomaliland president lays wreath at Herzl's grave during Israel visit
- DevelopingIsrael's Sa'ar reveals clandestine October meeting with Somaliland president
Source and signal
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