I was not expecting to see this today, nor did I realize this was even on the table, but at the direction of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel has just become the first Nation to officially recognize “Somaliland” as an Independent State.

See here:

So what is Somaliland compared to Somalia?

Glad you asked:

What Somaliland is

  • Somaliland is a self-declared, de facto independent state in the northwest of Somalia.

  • It has its own government, parliament, courts, currency, military, and regular elections.

  • It controls its territory and has been far more stable than the rest of Somalia.

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  • No country formally recognizes it as a sovereign state.

How it differs from Somalia

  • Somalia is the internationally recognized country formed in 1960 by the union of British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland.

  • Somaliland argues that the union collapsed in practice after state failure and atrocities in the late 1980s, so it reverted to its prior sovereignty.

  • Somalia’s federal government still claims Somaliland as part of Somalia, but exercises no real control there.

Key historical timeline (concise)

  • 1884–1960: British Somaliland is a separate protectorate.

  • June 26, 1960: British Somaliland becomes independent.

  • July 1, 1960: It voluntarily unites with Italian Somaliland to form Somalia.

  • 1980s: Siad Barre regime bombards Hargeisa and other northern cities; tens of thousands killed.

  • 1991: Somalia collapses into civil war. Somaliland declares independence.

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  • 1990s–2000s: Somaliland builds institutions without major foreign intervention.

  • 2010s: Holds multiple peaceful elections and power transfers; contrasts sharply with instability elsewhere in Somalia.

  • 2020–2024: Expands foreign engagement (trade offices, security cooperation) but still unrecognized.

  • 2024: Signs a controversial port-access and cooperation deal with Ethiopia, prompting strong objections from Somalia and regional debate.

Watch Benjamin Netanyahu officially recognize Somaliland today:

Here is a live look inside Somaliland at the celebrations within that State after the recognition:

If Somaliland sounds somewhat familiar that’s because President Trump made a strategic deal with them back in August.

Remember this?

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.
 

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