Somaliland has announced plans to open an embassy in Jerusalem, marking a further step in its emerging diplomatic engagement with Israel, its ambassador Mohamed Hagi said. The move comes after Israel became the first country to formally recognise the self-declared republic.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the planned opening in Jerusalem would be “another significant step” in strengthening ties.
Once established, it would become the eighth embassy in the city.
Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, has functioned with de facto autonomy since 1991, when Somalia plunged into civil war. Despite maintaining its own government, currency, and security structures, it has not been internationally recognised by most countries.
Israel formally recognised Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state in December 2025. Somalia strongly rejected the move, describing it as a “deliberate attack” on its sovereignty.
Somaliland, a former British protectorate, has long campaigned for international recognition. It hopes Israel’s decision will encourage other countries to follow and expand its access to international markets.
Most countries keep their embassies in Tel Aviv, with only a small number maintaining missions in Jerusalem. The United States relocated its embassy there during the Trump administration, and a limited number of states, including Fiji and Papua New Guinea, have followed.
Israel regards Jerusalem as its capital, although this is not widely recognised internationally. The United Nations and most countries consider East Jerusalem to be occupied territory. Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state encompassing the West Bank and Gaza.
Israel is among a very small number of countries to recognise Somaliland as a sovereign state, while Somaliland itself is one of the few Muslim-majority entities to signal plans for an embassy in Jerusalem.
For Somaliland, the move represents both symbolism and strategy. For Israel, it adds another partner in a region where diplomatic ties remain limited.
Russia is considering the possibility of joint projects with the United States and China, Kirill Dmitriev, Head of th...
Somaliland has announced plans to open an embassy in Jerusalem, marking a further step in its emerging diplomatic engagement with Israel, its ambas...
Investigators have discovered what officials described as “anti-Islamic writings” inside a vehicle connected to the two teenagers accus...
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Sweden this week for talks with NATO foreign ministers before heading to India for ...
Day four of the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Baku brings a packed agenda on sustainable cities and the global housing crisis, with sessions on green ...
Russia is considering the possibility of joint projects with the United States and China, Kirill Dmitriev, Head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, (Russia's sovereign wealth fund), was quoted as saying by state media on Wednesday.
Investigators have discovered what officials described as “anti-Islamic writings” inside a vehicle connected to the two teenagers accused of carrying out the deadly shooting at a mosque in San Diego, according to a U.S. Department of Justice official familiar with the case.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Sweden this week for talks with NATO foreign ministers before heading to India for meetings focused on trade, energy and defence cooperation.
Day four of the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Baku brings a packed agenda on sustainable cities and the global housing crisis, with sessions on green housing, smart cities, public spaces and urban rights taking place on Wednesday (20 May) at Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
United Nations World Urban Forum 13 continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 19 May with sessions and roundtable discussions focused on strengthening dialogue and advancing cooperation in urban development. Organisers say there are nearly 3 billion people globally who face some form of housing inadequacy.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned attack on Iran after appeals from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, allowing negotiations to continue over a possible deal to end the conflict.
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck China’s Guangxi region early on Monday, killing two people and forcing more than 7,000 residents in Liuzhou to evacuate as rescue efforts continued.
Azerbaijan and Georgia have agreed to resume daily passenger train services on the Baku-Tbilisi-Baku route from 26 May, 2026, marking a major step in restoring regional rail connectivity after services were suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a sweeping diplomatic push in Baku, Georgia and Azerbaijan have signed a landmark package of energy and transport agreements, cementing a partnership set to shape the South Caucasus corridor for decades to come.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for closer security coordination between Central Asia and China, warning that expanding trade and infrastructure links are exposing the region to increasingly sophisticated cross-border threats.
Azerbaijan and Georgia have agreed to resume daily passenger train services on the Baku-Tbilisi-Baku route from 26 May, 2026, marking a major step in restoring regional rail connectivity after services were suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Israeli forces intercepted dozens of Gaza-bound aid vessels in the eastern Mediterranean on Monday (18 May), prompting condemnation from the United Nations and Türkiye, while flotilla organisers said several ships continued sailing toward Gaza despite the operation.
Pakistan has deployed around 8,000 troops, fighter jets and air defence systems to Saudi Arabia under a mutual defence agreement, according to security officials and government sources familiar with the arrangement.
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