Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi landed today (Sunday) for his first visit to Israel, along with his wife Fardosa Mohamed Rubella. The two, along with the accompanying delegation, were received at the President’s Residence by Isaac Herzog for an official reception, before making statements to the media.
President Isaac Herzog welcomed the visit: “We are pleased to host you in Israel on this historic visit. This first presidential visit symbolizes the great potential of the new partnership between our two nations. Both our countries acted courageously — Israel recognized Somaliland as an independent state, a reality that has existed on the ground for decades, and Somaliland chose to open an embassy here in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. The sight of Somaliland residents waving Israeli flags in celebration warmed our hearts here in Israel, and today we are happy to see the Somaliland flag flying here at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem. Now our mission is to strengthen cooperation between the nations across a wide range of fields: agriculture, technology, trade, health, academia and of course security.”
The President of Somaliland expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and partnership: “It is a great honor for me to stand before you today during this historic visit. This hospitality is not mere formality — it is a true gesture of respect between two peoples who seek to build something meaningful together. This historic visit is a clear statement that Somaliland and Israel are entering a new strategic era. For the past 35 years, Somaliland has repeatedly approached world leaders and asked for only one thing: to be seen. And it was the State of Israel that recognized us. Today I do not stand here alone — I represent six million people who are grateful to the government and people of Israel.”