Donald Trump deflects from his ally Benjamin Netanyahu's stance to recognise Somaliland—Here's why

US President Donald Trump said he does not support recognising Somaliland in an interview with the New York Post published on Friday.

Trump's comments came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close Trump ally, said Israel would be the first country to recognise the territory formally.

"No," the president told the Post when asked about US recognition of Somaliland, adding: "Does anyone know what Somaliland is, really?"

Israel became first country to recognise Somaliland

Israel on Friday became the first country to formally recognize the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, a move that could alter regional dynamics and challenge Somalia’s long-standing opposition to secession, Reuters reported.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would seek immediate cooperation with Somaliland in agriculture, health, technology and the economy. In a statement, he congratulated Somaliland's president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, praised his leadership and invited him to visit Israel, Reuters reported.

Netanyahu said the declaration “is in the spirit of the Abraham Accords, signed at the initiative of President Trump.”

The 2020 accords were brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump's first administration and included Israel formalising diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, with other countries joining later.

Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Somaliland's president signed a joint declaration of mutual recognition, the Israeli statement said.

Abdullahi said in a statement that Somaliland would join the Abraham Accords, calling it a step toward regional and global peace. He said Somaliland was committed to building partnerships, boosting mutual prosperity and promoting stability across the Middle East and Africa.

But Somalia's government condemned Israel's move as an "unlawful step" and a "deliberate attack" on its sovereignty, rejecting any recognition of Somaliland, according to a statement from the prime minister's office.

"The federal government affirms its determination to pursue all necessary diplomatic, political, and legal measures, in accordance with international law, to defend its sovereignty, unity, and internationally recognized borders," the statement said.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in an X post said that Netanyahu's recognition of the territory was "illegal aggression" and “contrary to established legal and diplomatic rules.”

The European Union also urged respect for Somalia's unity and called for "meaningful dialogue" between Mogadishu and Somaliland to resolve longstanding differences.

Egypt said Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held phone calls on Friday with his counterparts from Somalia, Turkey and Djibouti to discuss what they described as dangerous developments in the Horn of Africa following Israel's announcement.

The ministers condemned Israel's recognition of Somaliland, reaffirmed their full support for Somalia's unity and territorial integrity, and warned that recognising breakaway regions posed a threat to international peace and security, Egypt's foreign ministry said.

The African Union also rejected any recognition of Somaliland, reaffirming its "unwavering commitment" to Somalia's unity and territorial integrity and warning that such moves risked undermining peace and stability across the continent, the AU Commission chair said.

The Nigerian government in a statement on X said it "strongly condemns" any actions that seek to undermine Somalia's constitutional order and urged other nations to "desist" from recognising any part of Somalia's territory as independent.

Somaliland's history

Somaliland has operated with de facto autonomy—and has remained relatively peaceful and stable—since 1991, when Somalia collapsed into civil war. Despite this, the breakaway region has not previously been formally recognised by any other country.

During that time, Somalia has worked to mobilise international opposition to any move to recognise Somaliland’s independence.

The former British protectorate now hopes that Israel’s recognition will prompt other nations to follow, strengthening its diplomatic standing and improving access to international markets.

In March, Somalia and Somaliland denied receiving any proposal from the United States or Israel to resettle Palestinians from Gaza, with Mogadishu saying it categorically rejected any such move.

More countries reject Israel's recognition of Somaliland

A growing number of countries on Saturday rejected Israel's recognition of Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent nation a day earlier, the first by any country in more than 30 years.

It was unclear why Israel made the declaration on Friday or whether the country was expecting something in return.

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 during a descent into conflict that continues to leave the East African country fragile. Despite having its own government and currency, Somaliland had never been recognised by any nation until Friday.

A joint statement by more than 20 mostly Middle Eastern or African countries and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Saturday rejected Israel's recognition “given the serious repercussions of such unprecedented measure on peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea and its serious effects on international peace and security as a whole.”

Somaliland, which is arid, lies on the Gulf of Aden across from Yemen and next to small Djibouti, which hosts military bases for the U.S., China, France and several other countries.

(With inputs from agencies)