By Asma Abdullahi - Reporter
Somalia, 15 June 2026 – Somaliland said on Monday it signed a cooperation agreement with Israel during President Abdirahman Abdullahi Irro's visit calling it a new phase in relations between the two sides.
Somaliland’s presidency said Irro held a high-level meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the visit, which it called historic.
The presidency said the declaration would provide a framework for long-term cooperation between Somaliland and Israel in areas including the economy, security, technology, investment and social development.
It said the agreement was intended to build a formal structure for deeper cooperation based on mutual respect, trust and shared interests.
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Irro thanked Netanyahu for Israel’s formal recognition of Somaliland, saying the move had opened a new chapter in the state's long-running campaign for international recognition.
The presidency said Irro described the recognition as not only a diplomatic step, but also an acknowledgement of Somaliland’s political, legal and historical case after more than three decades of self-rule.
The statement said Irro awarded Netanyahu a national medal in recognition of Israel’s decision.