UPDATE 2 - Israeli foreign minister arrives in Somaliland after recognition

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK

By Lina Altawell and Rania Abushamala

ISTANBUL (AA) — Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar arrived in Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland on Wednesday, almost two weeks after Tel Aviv recognized the region amid international outrage.

“The mutual recognition and establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries are not directed against anyone,” Saar said on the US social media company X.

He said Abdirahman Mohamed Abdilahi, the self-declared president of the breakaway region, has accepted an invitation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Israel and open an embassy there.

An Israeli Foreign Ministry statement said the visit came upon an invitation from Abdilahi to meet with official there.

According to the statement, Abdilahi described Saar’s visit as “a significant milestone” that reflects a shared commitment to developing a “productive, forward-looking and strategic partnership.”

He said he would visit Israel soon to open embassy in the country.

A Somaliland diplomatic source earlier told Israeli channel i24NEWS that Saar’s visit “aims to advance meaningful political and strategic cooperation between Israel and Somaliland.”

On Dec. 26, Israel announced its official recognition of Somaliland as an independent, sovereign state, making Tel Aviv the only country in the world to recognize the breakaway region.

The Israeli move sparked widespread regional rejection, particularly from the Arab countries, which described it as illegal and a threat to international peace and security.

Somalia also reaffirmed its firm and non-negotiable commitment to its sovereignty, national unity, and territorial integrity, declaring its categorical rejection of the Israeli move.

Somaliland, which has lacked official recognition since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991, operates as a de facto independent administrative, political, and security entity, with the central government unable to assert control over the region, and its leadership unable to secure international recognition of independence.